


Entropy

by nmbnss



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Bad Jokes, Drunk Texting, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Strangers to Lovers, Tags will be added as they come, Texting, Wrong Number AU, physics vs chemistry, selective mutism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-05
Updated: 2018-10-25
Packaged: 2019-03-27 10:20:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 21,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13878846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nmbnss/pseuds/nmbnss
Summary: [11.50] Once again, I don't believe I am the person you were intending to text.[11.52] Unless by "old times", you mean last night when you drunk texted my number. In which case: No hard feelings, Tetsurou, you don't have to take me out for coffee to make things right.;(don't drink and text, kids.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Some chapters of texting, some chapters of more than that;
> 
> formatting will (hopefully) be self-explanatory.
> 
> Have fun.

 

 

 

 **[00.52]** hey

 **[00.52]** i knw i'm a coeard for doinh this over a text

 **[00.53]** but i mis s y,ou

 **[00.58]** i dont reallt knoe what else to say its been two monthd

 **[00.59]** whh do I still miss you?3

 **[01.31]** why *

 **[01.55]** yoire not eveb gonna reoly are you

 

 **[02.00]** _I believe you have the wrong number._

 

-

 

 **[10.18]** oh.

 **[10.19]** fuck im so sorry. i was drunk and

 **[10.19]** yeah this is embarrassing haha

 **[10.19]** sorry. i won't bother you again

 

-

 

 **[11.02]** hey. this is tetsurou. i know it's been a while, but ive been thinking about you and everything that happened back then. i know we didn't leave things off very smoothly, so maybe we could just go grab a coffee together sometime? for old times sake :)

 

 **[11.50]** _Once again, I don't believe I am the person you were intending to text._

 **[11.52]** _Unless by "old times", you mean last night when you drunk texted my number. In which case: No hard feelings, Tetsurou, you don't have to take me out for coffee to make things right. Deleting my number will do._

 

 **[11.59]** OH.

 **[11.59]** im so sorry!

 **[11.59]** seriously

 **[11.59]** i swear i had deleted your number i was 100% sure I'd just made a typo yesterday or something. being drunk etc

 **[12.15]** but this is definitely the number her friend gave me.

 **[12.15]** <image file>

 

 **[12.16]** _Um. Painful handwriting, but this is definitely my number._

 **[12.16]** _Listen, I don't know anyone named Tetsurou. Whoever gave you that number was messing up, or messing with you._

 

 **[12.18]** you think she gave me a wrong number on purpose?

 

 **[12.18]** _Huh?_

 **[12.18]** _I don't know. Possibly._

 

 **[12.19]** hmm

 **[12.19]** well. sorry abt texting you again.

 

 **[12.34]** _Happens._

 

-

 

 **[07.53]** _Meet me in the backyard in ten minutes. DON'T forget the shovel this time._

 

 **[07.54]** what????

 

 **[07.56]** _Shit._

 **[07.56]** _Sorry._

 **[07.57]** _I meant to text my friend, but my conversation with you is still at the top of my messages and I misclicked._

 

 **[08.05]** ...

 **[08.06]** it's been like a week

 **[08.06]** and im still at the top of your messages?

 

 **[08.15]** _Excuse me?_

 

 **[08.17]** haha

 **[08.17]** sorry

 **[08.17]** don't take this the wrong way

 

 **[08.59]** _Well, how am I supposed to take it?_

 

 **[09.20]** just saying

 **[09.21]** out of me and them, im obviously the better friend B)

 

 **[10.07]** _Just delete my number._

 

 **[10.11]** no wait wait

 **[10.11]** you can't drop a bomb like this on me and leave with no explanation

 **[10.12]** are you burying a body??

 **[10.12]** oh god you're not a serial killer are you

 

 **[10.30]** _What if I am?_

 **[10.31]** _I'm coming for you, Tetsurou._

 

 **[10.42]** hoooOoOOOLY SHIT

 **[10.43]** you're creeping me out

 **[10.43]** it's not fair that you know my name  >:(

 

 **[10.54]** _The consequences of introducing yourself to a person include that person knowing your name._

 **[10.54]** _Should have thought about that beforehand._

 

 **[10.57]** it's not like i was intending to text you...

 

 **[11.01]** _Precisely._

 **[11.01]** _So please, excuse me for accidentally doing the same._

 

 **[11.08]** im just gonna save you under 'serial killer-san' then

 

 **[11.15]** _Fine with me._

 

 **[11.31]** im actually somewhat scared.

 

-

 

 **[08.56]** okay so this hasn't left my mind and i've got to ask.

 

 **[09.21]** _?_

 **[09.22]** _What is it, total stranger who still hasn't deleted my number for inexplicable reasons?_

 

 **[09.30]** how old are you?

 **[09.30]** im guessing you're not 12 or something

 **[09.31]** given your profession

 **[09.31]** or at least I hope so

 

 **[09.41]** _My profession?_

 

 **[09.43]** serial killer

 

 **[09.50]** _I honestly can't tell whether you're joking right now._

 **[09.51]** _Why are you texting me?_

 

 **[09.54]** i told you

 **[09.55]** im having sleepless nights over a potential twelve year old psychopath / murderer

 

 **[09.59]** _I am unsure whether or not you're being sarcastic, and I don't like it._

 

 **[10.04]** sarcasm isn't your thing? :p

 

 **[10.12]** _Sarcasm is absolutely my thing._

 **[10.12]** _That's why it bothers me._

 

 **[10.16]** sooo??

 **[10.17]** are you?

 **[10.17]** you don't sound like 12 tbh

 

 **[10.23]** _What do twelve year olds sound like?_

 

 **[10.30]** like more emojis n stuff?

 

 **[10.34]** _XD LOL OK I KNO WAT U MEAN :3 ^__^_

 

 **[** **10.36]** dude.

 **[10.37]** i thought you were being creepy yesterday but this, just now, was the scariest text I have ever received

 

 **[10.41]** _:'(((( MEANIE!!_

 

 **[10.50]** tf

 **[10.51]** so definitely not twelve

 

 **[10.59]** _Does that make you feel better about talking to a potential serial killer?_

 

 **[11.59]** only slightly.

 **[12.00]** though I could be one too yknow

 **[12.00]** maybe we both are

 **[12.00]** the beginning of a beautiful friendship

 **[12.00]** ill be ur cellmate if they ever catch us

 

 **[12.16]** _There are no official numbers for the percentage of serial killers in Japan's population._

 **[12.16]** _But I don't need calculations to tell me that the chances for either of those cases to be or come true are very, very low._

 **[12.17]** _Besides, serial killers are probably kept in solitary cells?_

 

 **[12.25]** i must admit that i 1. don't know and 2. don't want to know

 **[12.26]** way to ruin the bonding moment though

 

 **[12.42]** _Well, thank you for this lovely and thought-provoking exchange, total stranger._

 **[12.42]** _Delete my number._

 

 **[12.58]** :(

 

-

 

 **[02.01]** speaking of!

 **[02.01]** have you seen better watch out?

 

 **[02.08]** _?_

 

 **[02.09]** dude

 **[02.10]** why are you awake?!

 

 **[02.16]** _You're the one who texted me._

 **[02.16]** _So I strongly assume you are awake, too._

 

 **[02.24]** fair enough

 

 **[02.26]** _To answer your question: No. I did not. (But I saw the trailer and it's... a Christmas movie? It's almost March.)_

 **[02.26]** _To raise you another, more important one: Why are you still texting me?_

 

 **[02.30]** idk

 **[02.31]** it's fun? (so is the movie btw im serious you should watch it it's really not what you expect)

 **[02.31]** and you keep replying so?

 **[02.31]** kinda seems like you wanna keep talking..?

 

 **[02.45]** _I'm just being polite to a lonely stranger with seemingly none of their own friends to bother._

 **[02.46]** _I can block you anytime._

 

 **[02.53]** um... rude

 **[02.53]** also im not lonely? i have friends

 

 **[03.12]** _Might I remind you of the circumstances under which this whole situation started in the first place?_

 

 **[03.20]** me trying to drunk text my cheating ex?

 **[03.21]** no im not ashamed to say it

 **[03.21]** maybe im somewhat pathetic

 **[03.21]** doesn't mean i dont have friends  >:(

 **[03.59]** block me then

 **[04.00]** sorry i misinterpreted your intentions and all. whatever.

 

-

 

 **[08.52]** _I need advice._

 

**[09.21]** _Heya tsukki! ^^_

**[09.21]** _Whats up?_

**[09.21]** _You okay?_

 

 **[09.28]** _Yeah._

 **[09.29]** _There is this guy who's been texting me occasionally throughout the past two weeks._

 

**[09.31]** _Ooohh!_

**[09.31]** _It's that kind of advice? O.O_

 

 **[09.38]** _What?_

 **[09.38]** _Tadashi, no, god. I don't know him._

 **[09.38]** _This is going to sound strange but, simply put, he accidentally texted my number around two weeks ago assuming I was his ex. I told him he has the wrong number but he hasn't stopped talking to me since._

 

**[09.42]** _wait what?_

**[09.42]** _How did he even get your number?_

 

 **[09.42]** _Apparently the person he asked for his ex girlfriend's number gave him a wrong one. Which turned out to be mine._

 **[09.42]** _I told him he has the wrong person and he apologized and all that, but then he just continued making conversation._

 

**[09.44]** _Uuh. sounds kinda creepy...?_

 

 **[09.44]** _Nah. He is harmless (I think). And actually kind of entertaining to talk to._

 **[09.50]** _You have been typing for over five minutes now. I don't need a text on stranger danger, thank you very much._

 

**[09.55]** _...Fine, no stranger danger text._

**[09.56]** _But then what's the problem?_

 

 **[10.00]** _He's kind of.. fun, I think._

 **[10.01]** _The few replies I sent back mainly consisted of me telling him to delete my number, asking why he keeps texting me and threatening to block him._

 

**[10.03]** _O.O_

**[10.04]** _Uhhh tsukki_

**[10.04]** _I know your definition of fun can be very different from mine but.._

**[10.05]** _That doesn't sound very nice and entertaining to me?_

 

 **[10.08]** _See. That's why I need advice._

 **[10.08]** _He is fun. But I can't just tell that person things about myself. I don't know how to talk to people, let alone total strangers, and now he has stopped texting me altogether after apologizing for "misinterpreting my intentions"._

 **[10.08]** _That was not my intention._

 

**[10.12]** _Ehh_

**[10.12]** _I don't think you need my advice to know that telling someone to stop talking to you can lead to them not talking to you TT_TT_

**[10.13]** _but you wanna keep texting that person?_

 

 **[10.18]** _Maybe. I dont know. I don't even know that guy._

 

**[10.20]** _Well then.. change that? Only one way to find out if he really is a creep or not_

**[10.21]** _I'm still suspicious about the whole wrong number thing_

**[10.21]** _but I guess just texting them can't be dangerous? You can stop anytime? Just ask questions and.. stuff?_

 

 **[10.23]** _Hm. I guess._

 

**[10.28]** _as long as you don't give off personal information like your address, or pictures, or..._

 

 **[10.29]** _...._

 **[10.29]** _I know, mom._

  

**[10.30]** _:P_

**[10.31]** _now go get em!_

 

 **[10.32]** _Ha ha._

 

-

 

-

 

 **[06.47]** _So did you ever find them?_

 

 **[08.12]** ?

 **[08.12]** uh.. wrong number

 **[08.12]** i think?

 **[08.12]** this is tetsurou.

 

 **[08.15]** _I know it's you._

 

 **[08.15]** huh

 **[08.15]** wait really?

 

 **[08.17]** _I just said so._

 

 **[09.07]** ohoho i thought you were gonna block me?

 **[09.07]** here i was thinking you didn't care about me at all

 **[09.08]** ˚‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣⌓˂̣̣ )‧º·˚

 

 **[09.20]** _Aaand nevermind._

 

 **[09.23]** you're a big softie aren't you  <3

 **[09.24]** i knew you'd come back for me

 **[09.24]** wdym though?

 

 **[09.31]** _You're on thin fucking ice._

 **[09.32]** _Your ex. Did you end up finding their correct number after all?_

 

 **[09.40]** oh lol yeah

 **[09.40]** i did.

 **[09.41]** last week, just the day after you blocked me actually

 **[09.41]** or well, after you lied abt blocking me and broke my heart

 

 **[09.43]** _..._

 **[09.45]** _So?_

 

 **[09.47]** you actually care?

 

 **[09.52]** _I'm asking, aren't I?_

 

 **[09.53]** im so touched :')

 **[09.54]** well she agreed to the coffee thing

 **[09.54]** im meeting her next friday

 

 **[10.01]** _Oh._

 

 **[10.03]** hmm?

 

 **[10.05]** _Well, congratulations._

 **[10.05]** _Didn't expect that to be honest._

 

 **[10.07]** what why?

 **[10.07]** told ya: im irresistible B)

 

 **[10.10]** _You never did tell me that._

 **[10.11]** _Maybe I just can't imagine a reasonable person agreeing to go out with a person who cheated on them before._

 

 **[10.21]** uh haha

 **[10.21]** well

 **[10.21]** yknow technically shes the one who agreed to meeting up with me so

 

 **[10.26]** _This doesn't really make it any better._

 **[10.27]** _But I shouldn't intrude. It's not for me to judge_

 

 **[10.29]** haha it's ok

 **[10.30]** don't worry abt me

 **[10.30]** i'll be fine!

 

 **[10.32]** _I don't actually care._

 **[10.33]** _I was just curious._

 

 **[10.41]** yeah yeah whatever you say

 **[10.42]** thanks for checking up on me ^^ im actually somewhat flattered

 

 **[10.45]** _Whatever._

 **[10.53]** _That movie was pretty fucked up, by the way. I like it._

 

 **[11.21]** huh?

 **[11.22]** you? what?

 

 **[11.42]** _Sentences? Can? Form?_

 **[11.47]** _I'm talking about the movie. Better watch out._

 

 **[11.52]** holy

 **[11.52]** shit

 **[11.53]** :D :D

 **[11.53]** you watched it?????

 

 **[11.54]** You suggested it, didn't you?

 

 **[11.54]** i think im in love.

 

 **[12.20]** _What_

 

 **[12.23]** that was a joke.

 **[12.23]** but!! :D :D :D

 **[12.24]** did you enjoy the movie?

 

 **[12.26]** _It was fun._

 **[12.27]** _In a fucked up way._

 **[12.27]** _Thanks for recommending it._

 

 **[12.30]** np :D

 

 **[12.35]** _Have you noticed that, since you mentioned twelve years old and their use of emoticons, you have been using them frequently?_

 

 **[12.40]** oh god

 **[12.41]** what are you accusing me of

 

 **[12.50]** _You said it, not me._

 

 **[12.55]** phhh.

 **[12.55]** brat.

 **[12.56]** but honestly this age thing is freaking me out

 **[12.56]** WHAT IF I MADE SOME KID WATCH A HORROR MOVIE

 

 **[02.19]** _I wouldn't exactly call it horror. Thriller, maybe._

 **[02.20]** _But for the record: I'm neither twelve, nor a serial killer._

 

 **[02.35]** that's something..?

 

 **[02.40]** _I'm 21._

 **[02.41]** _You got the digits right._

 

 **[02.02]** hah

 **[02.02]** !!

 

 **[02.06]** _What about you?_

 **[02.16]** _Are you twelve?_

 **[02.16]** _(Or a serial killer?)_

 

 **[02.06]** what if im both?  >:)

 **[02.10]** haha no, I'm 22

 **[02.10]** studying pharmaceutical chemistry. if I remember correctly, I haven't killed anyone yet

 

 **[02.15]** _That's actually pretty cool._

 **[02.15]** _I have the feeling it's easy to be a serial killer when you are a pharmacist, though_

 

 **[02.23]** aand you continue to creep me out! :)

 

 **[02.30]** _Happy to be of service._

 **[02.31]** _I study science, by the way._

 

 **[02.33]** oh cool you too?

 

 **[02.35]** _Ah. Didn't you say you study chemistry?_

 

 **[02.39]** ....yes?

 

 **[02.46]** _That's adorable._

 

 **[02.50]** ???

 **[02.51]** what do YOU study then??

 

 **[02.56]** _Uh, physics?_

 **[02.56]** _I thought that was obvious when I said 'science'._

 

 **[03.12]** oh

 **[03.12]** my

 **[03.12]** god

 **[03.13]** seriously?

 **[03.13]** you're one of those people?

 **[03.35]** 21, male, physics student. let me guess, you're the smart and arrogant yet quiet type everyone's too intimidated to talk to?

 

 **[03.41]** _Now where did you get that from?_

 

 **[03.42]** well all you physicists are arrogant asf

 **[03.42]** also im intimidated by you haha

 **[03.43]** BECAUSE your typing is so precise

 **[03.43]** not bc you do physics. dream on

 

 **[03.44]** _No_

 **[03.45]** _I was talking about the 'male' part. I never said I'm a guy._

 

 **[03.46]** !!!

 **[03.46]** you're a girk

 **[03.46]** girl? *

 

 **[03.56]** _Nope._

 

 **[03.58]** HAH

 **[03.28]** see

 **[03.58]** this means i was right about everything B)

 **[03.58]** what's your name btw? i changed it from serial killer-san to evil physicist, so this is your chance to intervene.

 

 **[04.01]** _There are some minor flaws in your logic._

 **[04.01]** _And that's actually an improvement to the naming. I have zero complaints._

 

 **[04.01]** god

 **[04.01]** such a nerd

 **[04.02]** I can read you like a book ;)

 

 **[04.24]** _Yeah, I think this is my cue to stop replying._

 

 **[04.25]** noo don't leave me again

 **[04.37]** :(

 **[04.38]** I thought we were having a moment here

 **[04.57]** whatever, evil physicist. hope you have a terrible day goodbye

 **[05.13]** >:(

 

-

 

 **[07.05]** _Haha. I was kidding. My phone died._

 **[07.20]** _It's Tsukishima Kei._

 

 **[07.17]** !

 **[07.18]** omg

 

 **[07.18]** _Hmm?_

 

 **[07.18]** you replied!

 **[07.19]** and actually answered my question

 **[07.19]** feels like were bfs

 **[07.19]** BFFS!!! * oops

 **[07.19]** I'm kuroo btw

 **[07.19]** kuroo tetsurou, to introduce myself properly

 

 **[07.23]** _22, male, chemistry student. Let me guess, you are the extroverted and obnoxious type that gets drunk on weeknights and drunk texts their ex._

 **[07.25]** _Correction: A wrong number they believe to be their ex._

 

 **[07.26]** ooOOo

 **[07.26]** where's that sass coming from

 **[07.26]** don't worry bff

 **[07.26]** i still love you bff  <3

 

 **[07.52]** _So I was definitely right about the obnoxious part._

 

 **[08.21]** </3

 

-

 

 **[02.42]** hey

 **[02.42]** are you awake?

 

 **[03.02]** _Barely._

 

 **[03.08]** haha

 **[03.08]** sup physicist

 **[03.08]** oh shit I didn't wake you up did I?

 

 **[03.08]** _Nah. Dw._

 

 **[03.08]** k good

 **[03.08]** i just wanted to say sorry for coming on so strong? if you're uncomfortable talking to me about certain things (or talking to me at all i guess) it's fine

 **[03.09]** like i kind of annoyed you into telling me your age and such? and you really don't know me so I understand if you don't wanna talk

 **[03.09]** just tell me to back off and I will ^^

 

 **[03.15]** _Oh._

 **[03.18]** _Well. I texted you today, didn't I?_

 **[03.19]** _Admittedly, yes. I was kind of reluctant at first. But this is okay, I think._

 **[03.19]** _You're not too horrible to talk to._

 

 **[03.24]** :D

 **[03.24]** flattering

 **[03.24]** but.. neat? so we're cool?

 

 **[03.26]** _We are cool._

 

 **[03.30]** cool :)

 **[03.30]** you're not horrible to talk to either (for an evil physicist)

 

 **[03.42]** _I'm overjoyed by your praise._

 

 **[03.46]** always for you

 **[03.46]** but im glad we talked abt this.

 

 **[03.50]** _Me too, actually._

 **[03.51]** _Hey I'll go to sleep now._

 

 **[03.55]** goodnight tsukki! ^^

 

 **[03.58]** _..._

 **[03.58]** _Goodnight, weirdo._

 

-

 

 **[09.00]** did you know that you can cool yourself to -273.15˚ C and still be 0k?

 **[11.42]** ill just assume this made you laugh so hard it killed you

 **[12.34]** helium walks into a bar, the bar tender says:

 **[12.35]** we don't serve noble gasses in here. helium doesn't react.

 **[01.52]** Sorry for the bad chemistry jokes. But all the good ones...

 

 **[01.52]** _Are just as inherently unfunny._

 

 **[01.52]** argon

 **[01.52]** WAIT

 **[01.52]** ASS!

 

 **[01.53]** _Waiting. Observing. Waiting for my time to strike._

 

-

 

 **[07.52]** A chemist.

 **[07.52]** What did I get myself into.

 

**[08.02]** _:D_


	2. Chapter 2

 

 **[07.04]** hey hey hey

 **[07.05]** what is UP my guy

 

_**[07.14]** Kuroo._

 

 **[07.16]** true ;)

 

_**[07.20]** What_

_**[07.24]** ...Seriously?_

 

 **[07.26]** I couldn't resist

 **[07.26]** you really handed this one to me

 

_**[07.26]** First, Chemistry jokes. Now, this?_

_**[07.26]** Are you sure you're not 12?_

 

 **[07.27]** you know what else you sgould hand to me? ;)

 

_**[07.31]** A dictionary?_

 

 **[07.32]** should*

 **[07.33]** harsh, harsh.

 **[07.33]** anyway that's not why im texting you on a saturday at this ungodly hour

 **[07.35]** (how and why on earth are you awake, anyway?)

 **[07.35]** What am I saved as on your phone?

 

_**[07.37]** The reason you're texting me at an "ungodly hour" is to ask that?_

 

 **[07.37]** lol no

 **[07.37]** you're just the only person i know who i hoped would possibly be up already

 **[07.38]** and I was right!!

 

_**[07.40]** It's twenty to eight. Why wouldn't I be up?_

 

 **[07.42]** you just said so yourself

 **[07.42]** because it's before 8? on a Saturday???

 

_**[07.48]** Not a morning person, I presume?_

 

 **[07.51]** hell naw

 **[07.52]** though actually I'm surprised you're awake now that I'm thinking about it again

 **[07.52]** you're the only one I know who replies at 3am in the middle of the night too...

 

_**[07.55]** What can I say? I don't need a lot of sleep._

_**[07.56]** Okay, admittedly, I just nap during the day too often to maintain a regular sleep cycle._

 

 **[07.56]** there it is

 **[07.57]** the cold, hard, truth

 **[07.57]** I was starting to think you were a vampire or some other immortal creature...

 

_**[07.57]** Kuroo Tetsurou._

 

 **[07.57]** that's my name.

 

_**[07.58]** It's what you're saved as on my phone._

 

 **[07.58]** Wait

 **[07.58]** Seriously?

 

_**[07.59]** Uh_

_**[07.59]** Yes, why does that surprise you?_

 

 **[08.00]** because it's boring??

 **[08.01]** you can't just save me with my name that's so lame

 

_**[08.03]** Uh_

_**[08.03]** Is it?_

 

 **[08.05]** it is.

 

_**[08.05]** What do you suggest, then?_

 

 **[08.05]** how about "the world's sexiest scientist alive"?

 

_**[08.05]** Not bad._

 

 **[08.06]** right?? ^^

 

_**[08.06]** But I believe you'd have to be a scientist to earn this title._

 

 **[08.08]** I Am A Scientist, My Friend

 

_**[08.11]** "Delusional Man" it is, then._

 

 **[08.14]** ass.

 **[08.15]** you didn't disagree with the sexy part, though ;)

 

_**[08.21]** Be flattered._

_**[08.21]** I do not know what you look like._

 

 **[08.22]** true.

 **[08.22]** wanna see?

 

_**[08.23]** Huh?_

 

 **[08.24]** i could send you a photo of me? granted you send one too

 **[08.24]** im kind of curious

 **[08.30]** or not...? sorry that was kinda weird wasn't it? we don't know each other and all and you don't have to of course

 

_**[08.41]** Sorry, I was making pancakes._

_**[08.41]** _ _I don't know, Kuroo._

_**[08.43]** I like texting you. And the anonymity of it. There's no pressure when there's no face to connect to the texts._

_**[08.43]** And right now, I think that's all I can / want to handle._

 

 **[08.46]** oh

 **[08.46]** i see

 

_**[08.46]** Is that okay?_

 

 **[08.49]** of course dude

 **[08.49]** it's cool!

 **[08.50]** i mean you're totally missing out here

 **[08.50]** but don't worry about it ^^

 **[08.51]** my face (hopefully) won't go away should you ever change your mind

 

_**[08.57]** Okay._

_**[08.59]** So why are you awake, then?_

_**[08.59]** I'm assuming you wouldn't normally be?_

 

 **[09.02]** oh right

 **[09.02]** I'm at the doctor's

 **[09.02]** just been having a sore throat and some on and off fever recently it's nothing bad ^^

 **[09.02]** my roommate threatened to move out until he knows it's not contagious if i don't see a doctor though, so naturally I've been trying to avoid this visit

 **[09.03]** but this morning i could barely swallow my breakfast

 **[09.03]** so here i am -_-

 

_**[09.07]** Uh._

_**[09.07]** That doesn't sound good._

_**[09.07]** Is your roommate that bad, seeing you're taking a health risk to get him out?_

 

 **[09.07]** omg no that's not it!

 **[09.07]** he's awesome and my best bro

 **[09.07]** but if he moves out he has no choice but to stay at akaashi's place ;)

 

_**[09.07]** Who is...?_

 

 **[09.07]** our teammate and his MAJOR crush

 **[09.08]** they're SO into each other and SO oblivious at the same time

 **[09.08]** they're terrible. this has been going on for, what, a year now?

 **[09.08]** anyway bokuto's gonna sleep at his place and I'm willing to sacrifice myself for this opportunity  >:)

 

_**[09.10]** Huh._

_**[09.10]** That's... actually kind of sweet?_

 

 **[09.11]** does that surprise you

 **[09.11]** im a sweet person  <3

 **[09.11]** anyway i gtg now they just called me up ttyl!

 

_**[09.15]** Ttyl._

 

-

 

 **[07.42]** tsukki

 **[07.42]** help.

 **[07.42]** i need to ask you something

 

_**[07.56]** Keep up the "tsukki" and you'll need to be asking for an ambulance_

_**[07.56]** What do you want?_

 

 **[07.56]** </3 you wound me

 **[07.59]** okay so

 

_**[07.59]** You know, on second thought, I don't think I want to know._

 

 **[07.59]** don't be an ass

 **[08.00]** would you rather have to fart audibly once every time you have a serious conversation

 **[08.00]** or have to burp every time after you kiss someone?

 

_**[08.11]** Uh_

_**[08.11]** Wait_

_**[08.11]** This is what you need help with?_

 

 **[08.12]** yeah?

 

_**[08.12]** Uh_

_**[08.12]** Why?_

_**[08.12]** Wtf_

 

 **[08.14]** :D

 **[08.14]** so?

 

_**[08.19]** You know actually... I can't say I'm that surprised._

 

 **[08.24]** you see my teammate has obviously lost his mind

 **[08.24]** he insists burping isn't half as bad because it, I quote: at least doesn't stink

 

_**[08.27]** My question remains_

_**[08.27]** Why?_

 

 **[08.28]** why not?

 **[08.28]** I don't know who came up with it tbh it's just a thing we do all the time

 **[08.29]** absurd decision making

 **[08.29]** you never know when it might come in handy later in life

 

_**[08.36]** Your life seems rather interesting._

 

 **[08.39]** it is :D

 

_**[08.51]** Sarcasm._

 

 **[08.59]** i can smell the jealousy.

 **[09.00]** anyway i need a hand here man

 **[09.00]** be the voice of reason and help me settle once and for all that farting is the better option

 

_**[09.06]** Your teammate is right._

 

 **[09.12]** ?????????????????????????????????????

 **[09.12]** what

 

_**[09.17]** If someone's willing to kiss you, they won't be bothered by you burping will they?_

_**[09.18]** They already have your saliva in their mouth. Can't get much worse._

 

 **[09.25]** dude.

 **[09.25]** that's sad

 **[09.25]** and disgusting

 

_**[09.37]** It is a disgusting question. What were you expecting? _

 

 **[09.38]** but imagine though

 **[09.39]** serious conversation

 **[09.39]** it's awkward, uncomfortable, tension in the air etc etc

 **[09.39]** then you fart

 **[09.39]** INSTANT COMIC RELIEF

 **[09.40]** there's literally no downside.

 

_**[09.55]** Okay, I'm asking this because I'm truly curious_

_**[09.56]** Have you EVER had a serious conversation with another person?_

 

 **[10.06]** on a regular basis.

 **[10.06]** this is nothing but genuine experience speaking here

 **[10.06]** i am being dead serious in this very moment as im telling you that I'd choose farting over burping anytime.

 **[10.07]** (I have experienced both. the burping earned me a black eye lol.)

 

_**[10.12]** Uh. Are you serious?_

 

 **[10.15]** i would never joke about farts and burps (hehehe)

 

_**[10.16]** No, I mean. You burped after kissing someone and they punched you for it?_

 

 **[10.16]** uh yeah..? if you wanna put it like this

 **[10.16]** well i didn't mean to. it was really embarrassing haha

 **[10.16]** i know i give off those totally cool and sexy vibes but in reality i can be somewhat awkward..

 

_**[10.18]** That's kind of messed up._

 

 **[10.24]** hey I did apologize! i know it was a kind of disgusting thing to do and I was really sorry

 **[10.24]** why are we discussing this.... ':D

 

_**[10.26]** No, I mean. That's messed up of them to hurt you._

 

 **[10.31]** oh.

 **[10.31]** well.. it's just kind of the type of person he was? he would apologize and all afterwards so I knew he felt bad and it wasn't that bad anyway

 **[10.31]** let's not talk about it?

 

_**[10.42]** Right. Sorry for overstepping a line here._

 

 **[10.45]** it's cool

 **[10.45]** sooooo you know about two exes of mine now ;)

 **[10.45]** which can only mean one thing

 

_**[10.52]** What_

 

 **[11.04]** it's your turn to dish!

 

_**[11.06]** Eh._

_**[11.06]** Well, that's a short story. I have no exes._

 

 **[11.08]** :0

 **[11.08]** nothing at all?

 

_**[11.09]** Nope._

 

 **[11.12]** what about one night stands? high-school flings?

 

_**[11.13]** Nada._

_**[11.15]** Or, well, actually. I used to "date" my straight friend for a month or so in high school._

 

 **[11.17]** huhhh

 **[11.17]** how?

 

_**[11.19]** He is a fiercely loyal person who tries to please people too much._

**[11.20]** He kissed me in our second year, and we spent a few awkward weeks holding hands and avoiding eye contact. It was a disaster.

 

 **[11.23]** :/

 **[11.23]** that sucks man I'm sorry

 

_**[11.23]** Oh well. Luckily we could both realize that and go back to normality._

_**[11.24]** He was just trying to make me happy, in a way. But in the end it made me feel dumb and pitiful, and him... well, I don't know how it made him feel. But it wasn't nice._

 

 **[11.26]** hmmm meh

 **[11.27]** I know that though. I'm kind of that friend in my group

 

_**[11.29]** The one who tries to help but makes things worse in the process?_

 

 **[11.34]** yeah.

 **[11.35]** well im hoping I won't make things worse this time :D

 **[11.35]** with bokuto and akaashi

 

_**[11.37]** Bokuto = your roommate?_

 

 **[11.41]** yeah

 **[11.42]** he's actually gonna move for a while!

 **[11.42]** turns out i have tonsillitis. at first he insisted to stay and take care of me but i told him if he gets sick too we're gonna lose the next match sooo

 

_**[11.48]** Oh. Are you okay?_

 

 **[11.51]** I'm super excited!

 

_**[11.52]** No, I'm talking about the tonsillitis._

 

 **[11.58]** aah, well. meh.

 **[11.59]** i got antibiotics and something to help with the fever. apparently it's gonna get worse from now on and we'll see if they have to be removed.

 **[12.00]** I'll live ^^

 

-

 

 **[07.45]** I'm gonna die.

 

_**[07.57]** That's inconvenient._

 

 **[07.59]** im serious :(

 **[08.00]** never before in my life have I been so Bored™

 **[08.00]** at this point my room is pretty much a quarantine lazaret

 **[08.01]** i have consumed an unholy amount of warm milk and honey in the past few days. at this point it kind of tastes like cough syrup. and I usually LOVE honey milk

 **[08.02]** this is the worst

 

_**[08.12]** You're sick._

 

 **[08.24]** as much as i hate to admit it

 

_**[08.30]** How are you?_

_**[08.31]** Aside from the boredom._

 

 **[08.35]** meh.

 **[08.35]** not good.

 

_**[08.37]** That sounds... not good._

_**[08.38]** Sorry. I don't know how to help you._

 

 **[08.42]** it's fine

 **[08.43]** it's just weird and boring to be alone in here all day

 **[08.44]** starting to regret sending bokuto off...

 

_**[08.46]** Meh._

 

 **[08.51]** anyway

 **[08.51]** how are you?

 

_**[08.52]** Do you really want to know, or are you just asking?_

 

 **[08.53]** uh.. im asking bc i really do want to know?

 **[09.12]** hey, are you okay?

 

_**[09.36]** Yeah, sorry. I was talking to my brother._

_**[09.37]** It was... arduous._

 

 **[09.39]** oh you have a brother?

 **[09.39]** what happened?

 **[09.39]** wanna talk about it?

 

_**[09.42]** An older brother who moved to the city a month or so ago with his fiancee._

_**[09.42]** He wants me to be his best man at the wedding, since I'm "family, and conveniently living just down the street"._

 

 **[09.52]** oh.. that's awesome, isn't it? weddings are fun!

 

_**[10.03]** No. It's awful. Don't take me wrong, I'm happy for them, but I can't be the best man._

 

 **[10.06]** why?

 

_**[10.08]** I don't talk to people._

_**[10.08]** I can't stand crowds._

_**[10.09]** And he knows this. And it's exactly why he wants me to be his best man. To "prove I can do it" or whatever. He doesn't understand that I CAN'T and DON'T WANT to. He's trying to ruin this wedding for me and himself and probably every single person attending simultaneously, and the worst part is that he believes he's doing me a favor._

 

 **[10.11]** oh god

 **[10.11]** that does sound awful.

 **[10.11]** i dont know your brother or anything about him but let's try to break this down?

 **[10.12]** what did you say to him?

 

_**[10.16]** Nothing yet._

_**[10.16]** If I told my brother no, he would back off. I know that. But... I know he's trying to reconnect with me, and I don't know how to turn him down nicely._

 

 **[10.18]** oh..

 **[10.18]** so you didn't tell him no?

 

_**[10.18]** I said I would think about it._

_**[10.19]** Though I don't need to. I am absolutely not the right person for this. I know he wants to be a good brother and this is his attempt at getting us close again, but I don't think this is the way._

 

 **[10.21]** hmm. then tell him that?

 **[10.21]** what you just told me. you acknowledge his efforts, but you want the wedding to be an enjoyable day for everyone, and being the best man would make that difficult for you?

 

_**[10.35]** Hmm._

_**[10.35]** You're right._

_**[10.35]** I should do that._

 

 **[10.36]** yeah!

 

_**[10.41]** Thank you for letting me vent to you. It actually helped and felt kind of nice, gathering my thoughts and writing them down like this._

 

 **[10.46]** hey of course :)

 **[10.46]** it's nothing

 **[10.46]** you know why chemists are so great for solving problems?

 

 **[10.48]** ...Why?

 

 **[10.49]** they have all the solutions.

 

-

 

 **[08.04]** so how did it go?

 

_**[08.11]** I told him. He's kind of disappointed, but also apologized for putting me in this situation in the first place._

_**[08.12]** _ _It's going to be fine, I think. He will find someone better._

 

 **[08.16]** good to hear :)

 **[08.17]** im glad it worked out for you

 **[08.17]** don't say that though. you're not "worse" than someone just cause they enjoy socializing

 

_**[08.20]** Haha, I guess._

_**[08.21]** Thanks, again._

 

 **[08.37]** so how's it going?

 **[08.38]** how was your day?

 

_**[08.40]** Unexceptional._

_**[08.41]** The most exciting thing that happened today was when some dude wearing Monolith M560s sat down next to me in the bus._

 

 **[08.46]** he was wearing what?

 

_**[08.47]** HEADPHONES._

 

 **[08.50]** ohhh

 **[08.50]** neat!

 **[08.51]** are they special ones or something?

 

_**[08.55]**  they are awesome._

_**[08.56]** They have an amazing soundstage and great low ends, great treble and great midrange without distorting so they are very true and accurate._

_**[08.56]** I WANT THEM._

_**[08.56]** PLUS they are planar._

 

 **[08.59]** which means?

 

_**[09.03]** They create sound by swinging a membrane (as dynamic headphones do), but instead of having a swinging magnet fixed to the membrane, they have a charged grill on each side of it that swing the whole membrane equally (the membrane is either charged or magnetic in that case)._

_**[09.04]** So instead of a thin line of sound you get a wall._

_**[09.05]** If you drew the waves for both dynamic and planar headphones, the pictures would look very similar. But the center of planar magnetic headphones would be larger._

_**[09.05]** A square instead of a point._

 

 **[09.07]** oh uh. wow :D

 **[09.08]** sounds sexy?

 

_**[09.10]** IT IS *_*_

 

 **[09.11]** omg

 **[09.11]** a genuine emoji

 **[09.11]** you're a total technology nerd huh?

 

_**[09.13]** Just headphones really._

_**[09.14]** I love music._

 

 **[09.21]** me toooo

 **[09.21]** i dont really know shit about headphones (or anything of what you just said) though. I kind of inherited my friend's old ones and they're fine

 **[09.21]** audiotechnica something

 

_**[09.23]** Oh?_

_**[09.23]** Audio-technica headphones are supposed to be really good, actually. I've read positive reviews only._

 

 **[09.25]** that doesn't surprise me

 **[09.25]** my friend's a technology nerd :D

 

_**[09.27]** Your roommate?_

 

 **[09.28]** hahah nooo. bokuto still uses the in-ears that came with his phone three years ago and the left plug has stopped working a month after he got it

 

_**[09.34]** What._

_**[09.35]** Reading this just caused me physical pain._

_**[09.35]** No really, WHAT?_

 

 **[09.40]** i know right

 **[09.41]** he switches them after every song so it's "balanced"

 

_**[09.54]** I'm in shock._

 

 **[10.01]** :D

 **[10.02]** so what kind of music do you like?

 

_**[10.05]** That's a difficult question._

_**[10.06]** I like a lot of music._

 

 **[10.12]** hmm. favorite song?

 

_**[10.14]** That's even more difficult..._

 

 **[10.16]** :D

 **[10.16]** I get it, though. there's lots and lots of good songs out there.

 

_**[10.17]** Yep._

 

 **[10.17]** how about this: every week or so, we take turns sending each other one song to listen to. that way we get to share a bunch of music and maybe discover new one we like?

 

_**[10.20]** I like that idea._

 

 **[10.23]** yay!

 **[10.24]** cool :)

 **[10.24]** you start?

 

_**[10.26]** Okay._

_**[10.26]** I need to think, though. Choosing a song._

 

 **[10.28]** take your time, im quarantined. not going anywhere ~

 

_**[10.30]** Oh, still? How are you?_

 

 **[10.31]** still sick.

 **[10.31]** according to the doctor (and the internet) tonsillitis usually gets better after a week or so, and if it doesn't i should talk to a doctor again.

 **[18.31]** it's been almost a week so i'll see about that

 **[10.32]** it kind of sucks bc i can't hang out with anyone or go to practice and I can't really focus on studying with a fever

 **[10.33]** but I don't wanna whine!

 **[10.33]** I can stay in bed with Netflix all day long so that's something!

 

_**[10.36]** Meh._

_**[10.37]** What do you do, by the way? You've mentioned teammates several times, and now practice._

 

 **[10.37]** i play volleyball!

 

_**[10.37]** Oh, cool. I used to play in school._

 

 **[10.37]** oooohh really?? what position?

 

_**[10.37]** Middle blocker._

 

 **[10.38]** !!!!!!!!

 **[10.39]** :0

 **[10.39]** i'm a middle blocker!

 **[10.39]** dude this is amazing :D

 **[10.39]** I feel the connection

 

_**[10.41]** Haha._

 

 **[10.41]** aww aren't you excited at all?

 **[10.41]** why did you stop playing?

 

_**[10.43]** Hmm. I just graduated and didn't care to pick it up again._

_**[10.44]** It's difficult to play a team sport for someone like me._

 

 **[10.45]** someone who doesn't like crowds?

 

_**[10.49]** Something like that._

 

 **[10.51]** hmm

 **[10.52]** so are you doing another sport now?

 

_**[10.52]** No._

_**[10.52]** I like swimming sometimes._

_**[10.52]** What is this, twenty questions?_

 

 **[10.53]** omg

 **[10.54]** if you want to?

 **[10.54]** i would love a distraction from my boredom

 

_**[10.55]** That wasn't supposed to be a suggestion..._

_**[10.56]** I don't think I have ever actually played that game._

 

 **[10.56]** there's a first time for everything! ^^

 

_**[10.56]** How exactly does it even work?_

 

 **[10.57]** well in the original, one person thinks of an object and the other has to guess said object, being able to ask 20 questions that can only be answered with yes/no

 **[10.57]** however at some point it just turned into asking each other a bunch of random questions with no intent other than killing time

 

_**[10.58]** Sounds pointless._

 

 **[10.59]** well aren't you a little sunshine?

 

_**[11.01]** Nope._

_**[11.01]** There goes your question number one, by the way._

 

 **[11.03]** .........

 **[11.04]** you're....evil

 

_**[11.05]** :)_

 

 **[11.06]** okay, fair enough

 **[11.06]** your turn

 

_**[11.08]** Kidding. I'm gonna go to bed now._

_**[11.09]** Trying to get my sleep rhythm in check._

 

 **[11.10]** aww okay

 **[11.10]** let's play another time then?

 

_**[11.10]** Maybe._

 

 **[11.11]** good nitrogen!

 

_**[11.11]** ..._

 

 **[11.12]** sleep tightrogen

 

_**[11.12]** ........._

_**[11.12]** Go to bed._

 

-

 

_**[04.12]** <[audio file](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcuv1a8tzz4)>_

 

 **[05.06]** wow.

 **[05.06]** I really like this song :)

 

_**[08.11]** Me, too._

 

-

 

**< chat with BROkuto>**

 

**[11.02]** coming back today at 5!!

**[11.02]** hope there's milk in the fridge!!!!

 

 **[11.10]** two bottles

 **[11.12]** bring chocolate \°(ᴖ◡ᴖ)°/

 

-

 

 **[05.55]** THEY SLEPT IN THE SAME BED

 

_**[05.59]** Huh?_

 

 **[06.01]** AKAASHI'S AUNT WAS STAYING IN THE GUEST ROOM AND THERE'S NO SPARE MATTRESS

 **[06.01]** SO BOKUTO SLEPT IN BED WITH HIM :DDDDDDDD

 

_**[06.02]** Ohh._

_**[06.03]** I take it your roommate has moved back in with you?_

 

 **[06.05]** yeppp

 **[06.06]** I'm back to full health!

 

_**[06.07]** Nice._

 

 **[06.07]** ikr

 **[06.07]** FINALLY

 **[06.07]** the doctor said to continue taking the antibiotics for a while and to take it slow with sports

 **[06.07]** but at least I can go to practice and watch the team play tonight :D

 

_**[06.08]** Sounds good._

 

 **[06.08]** watch my two favorite lovebirds awkwardly pretend like nothing happened in front of the team  >:D

 

_**[06.12]** You seem happy with that._

 

 **[06.12]** I am :D

 **[06.12]** he says they didn't kiss or anything

 **[06.12]** but apparently they.woke up cuddling somehow??

 **[06.12]** akaashi even let him borrow some clothes to sleep in

 

_**[06.24]** I don't know your friends, but that does sound rather intimate._

 

 **[06.25]** IT'S AMAZING

 **[06.25]** I'm so happy

 **[06.26]** anyway gtg now

 **[06.26]** im sure bokuto's got a lot to tell me :D

 

-

 

_**[06.50]** Tell me a good movie to watch._

 

 **[06.57]** hmmmm

 **[06.58]** any specific genre?

 

_**[07.01]** Anything._

_**[07.02]** I'm bored._

 

 **[07.05]** hmmm

 **[07.06]** Interstellar?

 

_**[07.08]** Seen it._

 

 **[07.09]** it's my favorite movie :D

 

_**[07.09]** It actually is on my list of favorites, too._

 

 **[07.15]** right??

 **[07.18]** it's awesome

 **[07.18]** how about the lord of the rings or hobbit movies then?

 

_**[07.20]** Oh. I haven't seen the Hobbit Trilogy yet._

 

 **[07.22]** whatttttt

 **[07.23]** the first one came out in, what

 **[07.23]** 2010?

 

_**[07.25]** 2012._

 

 **[07.27]** we have to watch them right. now.

 

_**[07.27]** We?_

 

 **[07.30]** umm yes

 **[07.31]** i have nothing better to do anyway

 **[07.31]** bokuto went over to akaashi's place to "study"

 **[07.31]** ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 

_**[07.34]** Huh._

 

 **[07.36]** unless you think that's weird?

 **[07.36]** you could like tell me when to start the film and we will watch it both on our laptops

 **[07.36]** or whatever device you use

 **[07.37]** it'll be fun and we can send each other our thoughts and comments on the movie?

 

_**[07.39]** There's a website for that, actually. We can both sign up and watch the same thing simultaneously._

_**[07.39]** It even has its own chat window._

 

 **[07.42]** oh awesome!

 **[07.44]** wanna watch some hobbit then?

 

_**[07.52]** Well..._

_**[07.52]** Sure, why not._

_**[07.52]** I'll set it up._

 

-

 

_**[11.01]** They couldn't have used more green screen if they wanted to._

 

 **[11.04]** true

 **[11.05]** ive read the actor who plays Gandalf had to act entire scenes in an empty room in front of a green screen

 **[11.05]** having to pretend it's a place full of people

 

_**[11.06]** Huh. That's sad._

 

 **[11.08]** well yeah :(

 **[11.09]** next one?

 

_**[11.10]** Give me a minute._

_**[11.16]** I'm ready._

 

-

 

_**[01.30]** You're suspiciously quiet._

_**[01.30]** Kuroo?_

_**[** **01.** **5** **5** **]** _ _Did you fall asleep?_

 

-

 

_**< chat with yourself>** _

 

_**[02.10]** #0903. I must be insane._

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If the formatting is confusing in any way, please let me know! After uploading chapter one, I saw that the space between messages had been waaay too big, so I made some changes. 
> 
> I just want to thank all of you guys for your kudos, comments, bookmarks etc! It's a lot more than I was expecting, and I was overwhelmed and happy by the response to this fic! Updates will be frequent (weekly or less, from what I can tell so far). I hope you'll like what's yet to come!
> 
> As you see, I also added an estimated number of total chapters. I have all of them drafted already, but I'm not 100% sure how I'll put them together. The last few chapters will most definitely be longer (and not limited to texting), so the final number of chapters might be more/less.


	3. Chapter 3

  
**[09.13]** treasure planet.

_**[09.16]** Isn't it my turn choosing the movie?_

**[09.17]** you chose the last two...

_**[09.17]** I'll say it again: Jurassic Park was for your education, not for your entertainment._

**[09.18]** ahaa, thought they got the science all wrong?

 _ **[09.18]**_ _They did, obviously._  
_**[09.18]**_ _But that's not the point. It's not about scientific accuracy in this rare case, but rather about the impact the movie had. The number of paleontologists has grown overwhelmingly since its release._  
_**[09.19]**_ _Museums made renovations to dedicate more space to dinosaurs._  
_**[09.19]**_ _In a chain reaction, people are learning more about the scientific accuracy of paleontology - even if driven by science fiction._  
_**[09.20]**_ _Plus, it's a classic. I can't believe you haven't seen it before._

 **[09.22]** :D  
**[09.22]** i love it when you go full rambling nerd mode on me  
**[09.22]** so cute

_**[09.23]** Flattery does nothing, Kuroo. I'm choosing the movie._

**[09.24]** worth a shot...  
**[09.25]** though I still don't think it's fair

_**[09.25]** We watched all three Shrek movies in one night last week._

**[09.26]** umm,, because they belong together??   
**[09.26]** marathons don't count  
**[09.27]** AND YOU HADN'T SEEN SHREK

_**[09.28]** You hadn't seen Jurassic Park._

**[09.29]** ...  
**[09.29]** well, what would you want to watch?  
**[09.29]** HYPOTHETICALLY?

 _ **[09.31]**_ _I don't know._  
_**[09.32]**_ _Treasure Planet looks fun._

 **[09.35]** .............  
**[09.35]** you just like riling me up, huh?

_**[09.36]** Love it._

**[09.36]** i wasn't trying to flatter you yknow  
**[09.36]** it's actually cute ^^

 _ **[09.40]**_ _Just._  
_**[09.40]**_ _Set up the movie._

-

**< chat with yourself>**

_**[08.46]**_ _#0914. When Tadashi tried online dating in our third year (for a short and miserable two and a half weeks), he told me about one important rule: No false advertising. Apparently, many people do that. They upload highly edited pictures of themselves to appear more attractive, present "fun facts" that are mostly or entirely made up, etc._  
_I never understood the point of it. After all, you are trying to find someone to date. Shouldn't you try to attract those that genuinely think of you as attractive and interesting? (Granted, I don't know a lot about dating. This is just logic, though.)_  
_Obviously, when person A with a staged profile like that actually starts talking to a person B and goes on a date with them, the results are often disappointing. Either A has to pretend all throughout the date (and potential future ones) to be someone they're not (which is only possible to a certain extent. After all, you can't photoshop your physical form), or B realizes that the person they are on a date with is nothing like the person they saw online._  
_So why do people still do it? It's idiotic and an obvious dead end. I don't know. I haven't told Kuroo I'm mute. I don't think I will._  
_But well. It's not like I'm trying to date him._

-

 **[02.34]** so im fucked.

_**[02.57]** ?_

**[03.18]** we were assigned project lab partners today  
**[03.19]** which we'll have to work together with for the next four weeks  
**[03.19]** i punched mine

 _ **[03.24]**_ _What?_  
_**[03.25]**_ _How and why did that happen?_

 **[03.31]** the guy assigned to me was a total asshole.   
**[03.32]** he was talking about how 'disgusting' gay people are  
**[03.32]** 'unless it's lesbian porn of course cuz thats hot lol'   
**[03.32]** and he was laughing at that and being disgusting and he expected me to think it's funny or something?  
**[03.32]** and i was like dude what's wrong with you   
**[03.33]** and he immediately started to like get aggressive and asking if i was 'one of them' too and if i was gonna hit on him or stare at his ass or whatever  
**[03.33]** and i just punched him. i didn't even grace that bs with a response  
**[03.34]** everything was kinda messy then and the others had to break it up  
**[03.36]** so naturally I asked if I could have a different lab partner  
**[03.36]** but they said no???  
**[03.36]** I'm gonna have to work with that fucking moron for the next four weeks  
**[03.37]** like we'll be graded together  
**[03.38]** what the fuck

 _ **[03.46]**_ _God._  
_**[03.47]**_ _I'm sorry to hear that. That's bullshit._

 **[03.48]** right??  
**[03.49]** like i can deal with assholes i dont mind taking and giving the occasional hit   
**[03.49]** but I'll have to work together with that person?

_**[03.50]** Is there nothing you can do? This doesn't sound fair to me._

**[03.54]** they don't care  
**[03.54]** like they said if I'd wanted a good lab partner to work with I shouldn't have punched mine   
**[03.55]** they either didn't listen to me or they didn't care about that guy being a homophobic asshole  
**[03.56]** and since the other guy said he wanted to work with me we'll have to  
**[03.56]** that piece of shit is probably happy to torment me every day from now on

_**[04.01]** I don't know what to say. I'm sorry. That really sucks._

**[04.03]** yeah :  
**[04.04]** thanks for letting me vent  
**[04.04]** i just needed to blow off steam.

 _ **[04.07]**_ _I would love to give you some sort of advice, but all I can come up with is: Just ignore him?_  
_**[04.08]**_ _I know that's very easy to say. But he probably just wants to provoke you and pick fights. If you don't let him have his fun, he will probably back off._

 **[04.12]** and listen to him talk shit all day long?

_**[04.17]** Block it out._

**[04.19]** don't know. I can only take so much stupidity before I snap.  
**[04.20]** but ill try I guess   
**[04.20]** thank you

_**[04.24]** I didn't do anything._

**[04.26]** you listened and suggested a solution   
**[04.26]** and helped me cool down

 _ **[04.27]**_ _Well..._  
_**[04.27]**_ _You're welcome._

 **[04.30]** that's right  
**[04.31]** im gonna try to find some ice now  
**[04.31]** this shit fight painted my nose in a beautiful shade of purple

_**[04.35]** Oh. Are you okay?_

**[04.37]** yeah, yeah  
**[04.38]** you should see the other guy ^^

_**[04.42]** I don't think I want to._

**[04.43]** wise decision.

-

_**[05.54]** Spirited Away?_

**[06.14]** YES.

-

 **[09.21]** oh, I almost forgot!  
**[09.21]** <[audio file](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag_9MsoErQc)>

 _ **[09.25]**_ _Hold on._  
_**[09.29]**_ _Ooh._

 **[09.29]** do you like it?

_**[09.30]** I actually do._

**[09.30]** what's that supposed to mean?

_**[09.31]** I don't know what I was expecting._

**[09.32]** a bad taste in music, apparently  
**[09.32]** im glad you like it :)

_**[09.33]** Haha, that’s not it.  
**[09.33]** It’s very artsy and disturbing. Love that._

**[09.36]** yes!!  
**[09.36]** I love the aesthetic :D

-

 _ **[12.26]**_ _I don't understand the big hype around dating._  
_**[12.27]**_ _Like, I don't have a date to my brother's wedding. So what. Why does it feel like everyone's giving me pity for it?_  
_**[12.27]**_ _Is dragging another person to an exhausting social gathering considered a most desirable goal?_

 **[12.51]** hmm  
**[12.51]** i guess those occasions are just more fun to attend with a partner?

_**[01.23]** Well. They aren't fun to attend in the first place, so the stakes are pretty low there._

**[01.27]** Meh.  
**[01.28]** Why don't you just bring a friend then?

 _ **[01.28]**_ _Tadashi is bringing his girlfriend._  
_**[01.28]**_ _And well. They will invite me to spend time with them. But I'm not keen on being their third wheel (as I probably will be, anyway)._  
_**[01.29]**_ _Another reason I'm starting to wish more and more that I could just skip the wedding._

 **[01.31]** can you bring another friend?

_**[01.33]** What other friend?_

**[01.34]** meh  
**[01.34]** well you could always bring me B)

 _ **[01.36]**_ _Haha._  
_**[01.37]**_ _So we're friends?_

 **[01.38]** uh?   
**[01.39]** of course we are dude  
**[01.39]** you're my friend!   
**[01.39]** I'd be your wedding date anytime

 _ **[01.48]**_ _Ha._  
_**[01.49]**_ _You're a weirdo._

 **[01.52]** happy to be of service

 _ **[01.56]**_ _I have to go now. Lecture is starting._  
_**[01.58]**_ _Ttyl?_

 **[01.59]** ttyl :)

-

**< chat with BROkuto>**

**[08.55]** you know you're my best friend in the whole wide world, right?

**[08.58]** i, proudly, do know that

**[08.58]** and you know there is not a single secret in my life that i haven't told you about?

**[08.59]** i, confusedly, confirm that...

 **[09.01]** sooooooo  
**[09.01]** is there anything you might want to tell me?

 **[09.03]** ...i, suspiciously, must inform you that I'm not sure what you're getting at?

 **[09.05]** kuroo  
**[09.05]** i love you  
**[09.06]** but you're a terrible liar  
**[09.06]** even akaashi sitting next to me says you're full of shit  
**[09.07]** ......akaashi asked me to tell you that he would not word it like that (at least not to your face)  
**[09.07]** BUT STILL

 **[09.10]** sigh   
**[09.11]** okay   
**[09.11]** YES  
**[09.11]** I did eat all your chips while you were gone and blamed it on the cat

 **[09.13]** what?!?!?  
**[09.13]** i was NOT talking about that but  
**[09.13]** seriously?  >:(

 **[09.15]** i couldn't resist  <3  
**[09.15]** you just left them on the table to taunt me

 **[09.17]** I  
**[09.17]** ugh  
**[09.17]** it's fine  >:(

 **[09.20]** <3  
**[09.20]** I'll get you new ones

 **[09.20]** <3  
**[09.21]** but!!  
**[09.21]** im not talking about the chips  
**[09.22]** im talking about your LOVE LIFE!!!

 **[09.23]** oh  
**[09.23]** why didn't you just say you wanted to talk about black holes?

 **[09.25]** phhh  
**[09.25]** don't act all innocent  
**[09.25]** im your roommate  
**[09.26]** and your phone has been vibrating nonstop recently  
**[09.26]** and when it does you get all smile-y  
**[09.26]** who are you texting? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 **[09.30]** ohhh  
**[09.31]** god.

**[09.31]** you're texting god??

**[09.31]** ...no...

**[09.31]** soo??

**[09.31]** remember that party we went to after our last match?   
**[09.31]** at Kiyoko's place?

**[09.35]** where that girl gave you a wrong number??

**[09.37]** ouch  
**[09.37]** but yes that one

 **[09.37]** sorry x)  
**[09.37]** well yeah i remember?

 **[09.38]** that number turned out to belong to some guy.  
**[09.38]** and i dont know. he replied to my wrong number texts and we kind of just continued texting? he's fun?   
**[09.38]** like he's our age and seems really smart and witty and humorous  
**[09.39]** so we text  
**[09.39]** but I don't know him or anything. I haven't even seen a picture.

**[09.43]** oooh?

**[09.43]** ohoo?

 **[09.44]** what's his name? :D

 **[09.45]** Tsukishima Kei

 **[09.47]** O.O???????

 **[09.49]** um  
**[09.50]** what?   
**[10.04]** ...bokuto?   
**[10.17]** are you dead?

-

 **[10.28]** ...you don't happen to know a guy named bokuto, do you?

_**[10.34]** You mean, aside from the roommate you're always telling me about?_

**[10.35]** yeah

 _ **[10.36]**_ _Nope._  
_**[10.36]**_ _Why?_

 **[10.38]** don't know  
**[10.38]** just wondering?

 _ **[10.40]**_ _Sure.._  
_**[10.41]**_ _Well, no. I don't._

 **[10.42]** hmm  
**[10.42]** weird

_**[10.44]** ?_

**[10.45]** ah, it's nothing. forget i said anything

 _ **[10.50]**_ _Huh._  
_**[10.50]**_ _Weirdo._  
_**[10.51]**_ _Movie later?_

 **[10.53]** duh.   
**[10.54]** the Prestige?

_**[10.58]** Seen it._

**[11.02]** mad max?

_**[11.04]** The new one?_

**[11.05]** duh

 _ **[11.05]**_ _Sounds good._  
_**[11.05]**_ _Text me when you're ready._

-

**< chat with BROkuto>**

**[11.23]** speaking of kiyoko  
**[11.24]** party at her place on Friday at 9?  
**[11.25]** are you coming??

 **[11.31]** of course i am.  
**[11.31]** what was that earlier all about?

**[11.33]** what?

**[11.34]** come on man..   
**[11.34]** i told you that guys name and you just kind of  
**[11.34]** disappeared?

 **[11.40]** uh..  
**[11.41]** i think you should talk to Lev about that..

 **[11.43]** Lev?  
**[11.43]** from the volleyball team?

 **[11.45]** >_<  
**[11.45]** just  
**[11.45]** you have his number, right? just ask him before I say anything untrue

 **[11.50]** ???  
**[11.51]** okay?  
**[11.51]** i am very confused

**[11.52]** ...

**[11.54]** fine. I won't ask you any more questions before I talk to lev  
**[11.54]** btw are you coming home tonight?

 **[11.57]** yep!  
**[11.57]** netflix night?

 **[11.59]** oh hmm actually i was gonna watch a movie with tsukki   
**[11.59]** but you can watch with us of course!

 **[11.59]** ????  
**[11.59]** I thought you didn't know each other in person?

 **[12.00]** we don't :D it's over a website  
**[12.00]** we just watch the same thing at the same time and share our thoughts and all

 **[12.01]** sounds fun O.O  
**[12.02]** so ""tsukki"" huh  
**[12.02]** you guys are closer than I thought ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 **[12.08]** haha. so you're in?   
**[12.09]** im gonna buy chips.

 **[12.10]** of course im in :D  
**[12.10]** you owe me anyway!!!!

-

**< chat with Lev Haiba>**

**[11.59]** hey lev

 **[12.03]** hey kuroooo  
**[12.04]** what's up?  
**[ 12.04]** how are you? do you still have tonsillitis?   
**[12.04]** bokuto said you were going to text me :D  
**[12.04]** you know my boyfriend right?

 **[12.06]** im good. ill be able to play again starting next week!   
**[12.06]** you?

 **[12.08]** awesome! that's good to hear ^_^  
**[12.08]** i can't complain either~

12.07] and uh... yeah? i think i know your boyfriend. yaku, right?

**[12.08]** yeah! short, cute, angry, with brown hair?

**[12.09]** picks you up after practice sometimes, right? that one time he came in and did a really nice receive that had everyone in awe even though he's not even on the team?

**[12.10]** exactly! that's him!

**[12.14]** well.. what about him?

**[12.15]** bokuto said you were talking to a guy called tsukishima kei.

**[12.16]** yeah..?   
**[12.16]** he's a wrong number i texted accidentally   
**[12.16]** when i told bokuto his name he reacted really weirdly and told me to ask you about it so......   
**[12.16]** what do you and yaku have to do with this though?

 **[12.20]** well...  
**[12.21]** this could just be a weird coincidence yknow  
**[12.21]** but yaku knows a guy named tsukishima kei. he's in his physics class.  
**[12.21]** blonde, tall, wears glasses?

 **[12.42]** uh  
**[12.43]** I have no idea what he looks like, to be honest  
**[12.43]** but he does study physics....

 **[12.44]** o.o  
**[12.44]** oh god

 **[12.44]** i dont know how to react to this information.

 **[12.44]** it's super crazy!!!  
**[12.44]** like you texted a wrong number and somehow the other person happens to be your age and go to the same college!?

 **[12.52]** well...  
**[12.52]** we don't even know if they're actually the same person   
**[12.52]** maybe it's just a really weird coincidence...?

 **[12.55]** hmmm. maybe?  
**[12.56]** ask him

 **[01.04]** I will  
**[01.05]** thanks, lev. just don't freak out yet.

 **[01.05]** no worries  
**[01.06]** let me know how it plays out!

-

**< chat with BROkuto>**

**[01.06]** I'M FREAKING OUT.

**[01.07]** ( >‿<)

**[01.08]** IT MUST BE IMPOSSIBLE, RIGHT? LIKE WHAT ARE THE CHANCES???  
**[01.08]** I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO REACT TO THIS INFORMATION  
**[01.08]** HOW DO I TELL KEI ABOUT THIS?  
**[01.09]** I mean i have to tell him right???!!!!

-

 **[10.03]** <missed call>

 _ **[10.03]**_ _Kuroo._  
_**[10.06]**_ _?_

 **[10.06]** Oh bey  
**[10.06]** hey haha  
**[10.06]** Tsukishima Kei the physics guy  
**[10.06]** I wish that rhymed   
**[10.07]** what's poppin? lol

 _ **[10.08]**_ _Um_  
_**[10.08]**_ _Everything okay? You.. called me._

 **[10.11]** ummmmmmm  
**[10.11]** so  
**[10.11]** weird story  
**[10.11]** you're not gonna believe this

_**[10.11]** Try me._

**[10.12]** i might have talked to you about bokuto and he reacted really weirdly to your name (I mean i just told him your name I didn't think he'd know you or something anyway) and he made me talk to another guy i know and this guys' boyfriend knows a guy named tsukishima kei who studies physics and  
**[10.12]** haha funny coincidence, right?

 _ **[10.25]**_ _Oh._  
_**[10.26]**_ _So that's what this was all about earlier..._  
_**[10.26]**_ _What's this other guys' boyfriend's name?_

 **[10.27]** yaku something  
**[11.21]** tsukki?  
**[11.42]** ...you still alive?   
**[11.58]** why is everyone doing this to me today :/

 _ **[12.31]**_ _Sorry. I needed to wrap my head around this, so I went on a walk._  
_**[12.32]**_ _It seems we attend the same college, Kuroo._

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A slightly shorter chapter compared to the first two. Please let me know your thoughts!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, it has been almost a month. I'm so sorry! University started for me, so I have been pretty busy and tired a lot of the time. Here's the new chapter, hope you guys like it. 
> 
> And this one isn't limited to texting, as you will see!

 

 **[12.43]** <rejected call>

 

_**[12.43]** Kuroo._

 

 **[12.43]** <rejected call>

 

_**[12.44]** Stop doing that._

 

 **[12.44]** calling you??

 

_**[12.45]** Yes._

 

 **[12.46]** sorry

 **[12.46]** just

 **[12.47]** HOLY SHIT MAN??

 

_**[12.47]** Holy shit indeed._

 

 **[12.48]** same college? are you serious??

 

_**[12.48]** Why would I lie about that?*_

 

 **[12.48]** i dont know

 **[12.48]** to fuck with me?? fuck is this some sort of elaborate prank bokuto somehow got you in on?

 

_**[12.52]** Well, why on earth would I do that?_

 

 **[12.56]** because it's like

 **[12.56]** unbelievable

 **[12.56]** out of the countless of people my drunk text could have reached, it was... YOU, you know?

 **[12.56]** what are the fucking chances??

 

_**[12.58]** My condolences._

 

 **[12.58]** NO, I mean

 **[12.59]** it could have been any random old ass creep, or little kid or, hell, a twelve year old serial killer. maybe even that would've been more likely?

 **[12.59]** but it's you!

 **[01.00]** a guy who's not a creep but actually, like... smart, and fun to talk to

 **[01.00]** WHO ALSO happens to be my age and go to the same college as me?

 **[01.00]** think about it. we have probably seen each other on campus before.

 **[01.01]** sat at the same table in the dining hall or made small talk in line for the toilets... you know? like doesn't this freak you out at all??

 

_**[01.04]** It does._

 

 **[01.07]** does it? because to me it seems like you just heard the lamest news of lameville.

 

_**[01.07]** Excuse me for not breaking out in all caps._

 

 **[01.07]** dude

 **[01.07]** what is wrong with you?

 **[01.07]** is this pissing you off or something?

 

_**[01.09]** Why would it piss me off?_

 

 **[01.09]** i dont know? why do you keep replying to my questions with questions?

 

_**[01.09]** It's just not like this changes things in any way. I don't see the point in making a big deal of it._

 

 **[01.15]** wait

 **[01.15]** are you serious?

 

_**[01.15]** Why the hell wouldn't I be, Kuroo?_

 

 **[01.16]** because of course it changes things!

 **[01.16]** we've got to meet!

 **[01.16]** god aren't you curious at all?

 **[01.16]** like you can ask yaku or lev or anyone, I'm a normal and real person

 **[01.16]** not some creep who's gonna kidnap you or whatever I swear??

 

_**[** **01.17]** Of course I am curious. But I told you. I like the way this is right now. I thought you respected that._

 

 **[01.18]** dude...

 **[01.18]** of course i do. but that was before i found out about this!

 

_**[01.21]** Well, it hasn't magically changed my mind._

 

 **[01.22]** jesus

 **[01.22]** why are you being such an ass all of a sudden??

 **[01.23]** im sorry for considering you a friend and getting excited at the prospect of getting to hang out with you?

 

_**[01.45]** You don't even know me._

 

 **[01.46]** well apparently, you don't even want me to.

 

-

 

-

 

 **[04.01]** so...

 **[04.01]** are we ignoring each other now?

 **[04.01]** is that it?

 

-

 

-

 

 **[08.10]** god, what the fuck, I dont want to fight with you!

 **[08.10]** and you know what? I wish I could just apologize and say youre right or whatever you want to hear

 **[08.10]** but honestly?

 **[08.10]** if you cared about me, or actually liked me as a person or whatever, you wouldnt just vanish like this just because im an actual person who just happens to live nearby and not just some stupid anonymous ai generating texts to match yours. dunno.

 **[08.11]** this sucks.

 

 **[08.17]** and I really did consider you a friend.

 

-

 

-

 

_**< chat with yourself>** _

 

_**[08.14]** #1204. And there we go again, fucking up every single thing we touch._

_And I don't even know how all of this could happen. It's the most unlikely, most unrealistic thing to ever happen to me. Sometimes, I wonder if all of this is some stupid joke, and elaborate prank – like Tetsurou said._

_God, Tetsurou. He doesn't mean a thing to me. He shouldn't mean a thing to me. I don't even know him. He's some wrong number who stuck around, because he's a social fucking butterfly, but I am a social fucking mouldwarp._

_I must be going insane. Even considering to meet up with him, a guy I have never even seen - or at least not consciously so - but you and I both know how this would end. I can't even talk to him. Who would want to be friends with a person that can't even talk to them? Kuroo doesn't know that, of course. In his eyes, I'm smart, and fun, but I'm not. I'm awkward, and I'm unsure. And I'm mute._

_I thought telling him would ruin whatever it was I thought we had. But, well. Turns out I didn't even have to tell him._

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

 

“I don't know why people constantly feel the need to label their experiences. Maybe to have something you can compare with others, whether it is for comfort or understanding humanity or simply the primitive desire to have it worse than the rest, I don't know.”

Kei pushes his feet against the heavy desk, watching the room spin around the office chair, last rays of sunlight finding and dancing on every reflective surface. The days are finally getting longer, and warmer, and more golden. He had spent the afternoon in his brother's garden, pulling up weeds, soaking up sunlight. His phone had died halfway through. It had been nice.

At least that way, he had something to blame the lack of new messages on.

 

All of this was so stupid. It had been a day now, a day since Kei had found out about Tetsurou and him being practically neighbors, a day since his total short-circuit, a day since he had fucked everything up. Like he always fucking did.

 

“And there's a word for everything. It's nice to have a word for things, isn't it? It's nice to wrap up all my problems in one, big, heavy box called anxiety, or selective mutism, or whatever applies to one's case.” He shrugs, watching as the sound wave graphic of his recording bubbles along to his voice on the computer screen. “A word for everything,” he repeats, slowly, and the waves bubble, and then they go flat again, and he coughs. “Huh,” Kei says, just to make them bubble again. It will never fail to fascinate him.

“Talking about mutism is weird. I'm speaking about how I can't speak. Weird, huh? It's like a blind person painting a picture to show what it's like not to see. Except, of course, it's not like that at all. They aren't phyiscally capable of seeing. I'm capable of talking, right?” The waves bubble in agreement, and Kei nods. “Obviously.”

He thinks of his conversation with Tadashi when his friend first started dating Hitoka, the hopeful tone in his voice, _'come hang out with us! She's really great, and you know, the faster you get to know her the sooner you can talk to her!'_

Selective mutism doesn't work like that. “Some labels for things are stupid. I don't get to select anything. You can't just decide to make it go away, decide where it works and where it doesn't. I can talk to my family. I can talk to myself, like I am now. But I can't talk to my only friend, even though I have known him forever, even though I trust him. And that's just what it's like. No point in getting riled up about it.”

 

Kei rolls his eyes. “Well. A lot of mutism talk again, today, huh? Let's talk about something else, and less pointless, maybe.”

And his first thought, his immediate thought, of fucking course, is Tetsurou. “I said less pointless,” he mumbles out loud to himself, because he likes seeing the sound waves, and because he is trying to make a point against his stupid brain. Not everything is about Tetsurou.

Except, apparently, it is. Why can't Kei seem to get that guy out of his mind? A complete stranger, a person he can't even connect a face with? Why is Kei so overly riled up about the stupid mutism again recently, a fact he has accepted as a part of himself long ago, something he knows he can't change no matter how much he talks about it out loud to himself?

And it's all so stupid.

 

It had been less than a month since this all started. And they had just texted. And Kei had been so careful. He didn't exchange any photos, he didn't tell Tetsurou where he lived. Then, when – of course – Tetsurou had to end up living just around the corner, basically, Kei didn't agree to meet with him. He had been so good at keeping his safe distance! He been rational, and realistic, and – he sighs.

“But, well. My brain seems to hate me. So I somehow managed to get attached to him. Talk about being starved for interaction.” It comes out strong, and bitter. Kei likes the tone. So he says it again. “I got attached to a stranger.”

The waves bubble along.

  
-

 

-

 

-

 

**< chat with BROkuto>**

 

**[02.25]** you're doing it again.

 

 **[02.25]** ??

 

**[02.25]** immediately getting attached to any random person that's vaguely nice to you

**[02.25]** no offense bro. but you're doing that again.

 

 **[02.26]** tf

 **[02.26]** no?

 **[02.26]** i dont do that? ever?

 **[02.27]** what are you even talking about

 **[02.27]** and why are you texting me? I'm literally right here in the room with you

 

**[02.28]** akaashi's asleep

 

 **[02.28]** umm so?

 **[02.28]** i think you'd have to be yelling pretty loud for him to hear us speak in his bed, in his room, in his apartment.

 

**[02.28]** ....

**[02.29]** he might be in mine

 

 **[02.29]** what

 **[02.29]** WHAT

 **[02.29]** akaashis in bed with you??????

 

**[02.29]** :)

 

 **[02.30]** WTD

 **[02.30]** *WTF

 **[02.30]** since when??

 **[02.30]** how did I not notice that??

 

**[02.30]** well you came back around 1 and we were in bed already?

**[02.30]** and you didn't turn on the lights because you're a nice and considerate roommate?  <3

 

 **[02.28]** HOLY shit

 

**[02.29]** you're changing the subject tho

**[02.29]** im still up bc I'm busy staring at my sleeping not-boyfriend like a creep

**[02.29]** why are you on your phone?

 

 **[02.30]** im watching porn.

 

**[02.30]** ew.

**[02.30]** as if

**[02.30]** you're too head over heels over mysterious tsukki~~

 

 **[02.31]** ???

 **[02.31]** dude

 **[02.31]** im not even talking to kei anymore.

 **[02.31]** and i went on a date with yuki remember?

 

**[02.32]** and that's supposed to convince me how..?

 

 **[02.32]** YOU'RE the one changing subject now.

 **[02.32]** im not letting you off the hook abt the Akaashi thing

 

**[02.33]** sigh

**[02.33]** ill tell you tomorrow ok?

 

 **[02.34]** oh, you will.

 

**[02.35]** I wasn't joking about the tsukki part.

**[02.35]** not entirely.

**[02.35]** you stopped talking, when, on Tuesday?

**[02.35]** but you're still doing it. staring at your phone, jumping whenever it buzzes and looking all disappointed when you see it's not from him

**[02.35]** and im not stupid bro. i know how that date went.

 

 **[02.36]** i dont do that.

 

**[02.36]** i just sent you a text.

**[02.36]** got a pretty good look on your face from over here.

**[02.37]** dude stop ignoring me D:

**[02.37]** i see you glaring at me

 

 **[02.39]** EW!?

 **[02.39]** DUDE

 **[02.39]** why would you throw USED underwear at me???

 

**[02.40]** OOOOOPS

**[02.40]** lol

**[02.41]** I thought that was a sock

 

 **[02.42]** ...

 **[02.42]** what do you want from me

 

**[02.43]** admit you miss him

 

 **[02.43]** what do you earn from that?

 

**[02.43]** um. satisfaction?

**[02.43]** actually no it makes me feel really sad and down for you

**[02.44]** :/ sorry you feel that way dude :(

 

 **[02.44]** god, i never said i did.

 

**[02.44]** i know you do

**[02.44]** im your best friend

**[02.45]** i know you

 

 **[02.47]** let's just not talk about it.

 **[02.47]** yeah, talking to kei was fun. he's smart, and interesting. but at the end of the day, i dont know him, and he doesn't want me to, so there's nothing I can do about it.

 **[02.47]** except not get attached to everyone that's nice to me in the future. you're right, koutarou.

 

**[02.48]** dude.. x)

**[02.48]** okay

**[02.48]** no talking about kei anymore

 

 **[02.48]** thanks

 

**[02.49]** and just for the record

**[02.49]** i still love you  <3

**[02.49]** you'll always be my best bro

**[02.49]** tsukki is an idiot and totally missing out

 

 **[02.50]** :')

 **[02.50]** thank you

 

**[02.50]** fuck him

**[02.51]** what sane person studies physics anyway

 

 **[02.51]** hmm. levs bf?

 

**[02.51]** I said SANE person

**[02.51]** he's dating lev, how sane can he be?

 

 **[02.52]** HAHA

 **[02.52]** dude

 **[02.52]** rough

 

**[02.52]** i mean lev is cool

**[02.52]** but his bf is like half his size

**[02.53]** he probably has to step on a chair to kiss him

 

 **[02.54]** :D

 

**[02.54]** anyway

**[02.54]** let's just enjoy the party tomorrow

**[02.55]** maybe we'll find you some distraction ;)

 

 **[02.55]** haha

 **[02.55]** we'll see.

 **[02.56]** now go back to sleep and let me watch my porn in peace.

 

**[02.57]** ew.

 

-

 

/ **[09.02]** ready to leave?

 

 **[09.21]** born ready.

 

-

 

-

 

 **[0** **1.33** **]** hey

 **[0** **1.33** **]** i know i;ma cowaed for doinf this over a texr but

 **[01.33]** I miss you.

 

_**[01.50]** I believe you have the wrong number._

 

 **[01.50]** :D

 **[01.50]** this feels familiar diesnt it?

 **[01.50]** hey kei. I wish I was drunk enough to pull this off and pretrnd i dont remember a thing tomorrow, but. im just drunk enough to be honest right now. so here goes. i know we mibd of stopped talkint and all, but theres just some stuff i wwnted to rell you. buckle up.

 **[01.51]** im sorry. i didnt resoect yohr boundaries. that was an asshole fuckihg move, even if I didnt understand why you were acting the way you did. its not my place to judge. im sorry for that.

 **[01.53]** i miss taljing to you. for all its woeth, I dont care if you never want to hang out or talk to me on the ohone or anything like that. i just like texting you. watching movies with you and listening to the music you recomn,end and just telling you aboht my day. youre pretty damn cool and I meant it when I said that i consider you a friend

 **[01.54]** I want to be your frjend

 **[01.50]** if you want it too.

 **[01.54]** im at this party and its.the worst fucjibg thing. i dojt know hakf of the people here so I just keeo looking at any guy I see and thinkng : that could be kei.

 **[01.54]** exceot you hate parties and all so I know it's nkt you

 **[01.55]** but thats hust my brain niw

 **[01.55]** every guy I see could be you

 **[01.55]** i dtare after every dude i pass on campus. because im a creep luke that

 **[02.00]** and im so sorry I messed everything up and got us into this situation.

 **[0** **2** **.** **00** **]** just. i miss you. i wanted to let you know.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)
> 
> ; editing this thing is always a pain in the ass. if you see any formatting errors, please let me know so i can fix them!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh. This chapter took a while. Sorry about that.
> 
> It wasn't easy to write. I'm looking forward especially to the chapters following this one, and I promise they will come faster.

 

 

There is a library that contains everything there has ever been, ever will be, and ever could be written in an eternal apposition of lifetimes.

Every single possible combination of letters, spaces, commas and periods, only awaiting their unlikely discovery.

Growing up, Kei remembers the days when his dad was still around, sitting in his bulky armchair on summer nights with a mug of coffee so strong, the smell would fill their small apartment until it sneaked even through Kei's ever so closed bedroom door.

He would find himself grabbing his blue lego box on those days, padding into the living room fully aware, but uncaring, that it was way past his bedtime.

His mom would have gone to bed already, unaware of her youngest not sleeping peacefully as he should, and his dad would simply chuckle, looking up from the heavy books he was so rarely seen without.

And then he would read to Kei.

Perched between pillows and lego spaceships on their old, cozy sofa, Kei became a pirate, sailing the seven seas and finding treasure in venturous gests. He became a fireman, bravely risking his life every day, or a scientist, making a lifetime discovery.

His favorite stories were the ones about dinosaurs, and so his dad would pull out every book they had about them, and Kei would proudly name all the dinosaurs he knew and sometimes bring his box of crayons to the reading sessions, drawing what he imagined them to have looked like.

As Kei got older, nearing fifth grade, they would read more and more complex books, sometimes sitting there way into the night, talking about their thoughts on them. It was like their little secret.

  
Then, one day, when Kei was around thirteen, his dad read to him about the Library of Babel.

It wasn't a long story. And truthfully, looking back at it, Kei does not remember it all in great detail.

It's about a universe consisting of countless identical rooms, each of them containing the bare necessities for human survival. And books. Many, many, books.

Most of them are full of gibberish, nothing intelligible. But the inhabitants know, for some reason, that all books together contain every possible combination of characters in the alphabet - every story imagineable, every piece of information on everything that exists.

Of course, the library in its entirety being made up of every possible letter combination means that every single possible text is written down somewhere.

Seeing how every book's combination of characters is entirely random, though, most of them are full of nothing, thoughtless strings of letters and spaces. It is much more likely for random letters to come together in nonsense than it is likely for them to form actual words. Often, not even a single existing word can be found in a book.

Yes, there is a books for every single person's biography in great detail, random characters matching up perfectly to tell their story, predicting exactly how and when they will eventually die.

But no one will never get to read it.

So, the people in the story eventually go crazy in all sorts of ways. Kei remembers not paying a lot of attention to the ending.

Instead, he had spent the rest of the night on his computer, looking up the Library of Babel and finding a website, one exactly like the library of the short story.

Kei would type all sorts of things into the search bar, astonished anew every single time the website showed him the books that they appeared in.

He typed in his name, what he had eaten that day, the dream he had had the last night.

It all showed up, without fail.

It was incredible.

Just as with the characters of the short story, though, Kei's amazement at the library was short-lived, and soon turned into frustration.

Sifting through the countless of books in the library, in hopes of finding his very own revelation, he was gravely disappointed.

But that was to be expected. Mathematically, the chances of success were just too low.

It is years later, sitting on the flat roof compartment accessible through the kitchen window of his apartment building with headphones on, staring at the stars of a Friday night gone well into Saturday morning, that Kei has a realization:

Just write your own damn book.

 

-

 

He leaves the house right there, right then. Despite the idea still being vague and formless in his head, Kei is already determined, and so he grabs a jacket and the spare key to Akiteru's house on his way out.

Tetsurou's texts, drunk or not, had felt like a slap in the face, and Kei's cheeks are still burning.

What is Tetsurou sorry for? How can he be the one apologizing, seeking Kei's presence after everything the blonde had done?

Kei had been selfish, dismissive and unfair to Tetsurou, who had given nothing but friendship and sincerity in return.

Yet Tetsurou misses him? Wants to talk to him again, thinks about him when he's on a party with countless other people?

The thought makes Kei feel - something. He can't put a word to it. It's a little fuzzy in his toes, like proudly naming every single dinosaur of the book to his dad correctly as a kid, jumping up and down on the sofa, too excited to keep still.

  
Akiteru and Kayo have already gone to bed, of course, and Kei is glad to have the spare key.

He just needs to fetch his brother's camera.

 

-

 

_**[07.32]** <video file>_

 

-

 

-

 

  
**< chat with BROkuto>**

  
**[10.02]** fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck

 **[10.33]** ????  
**[10.33]** did you wake up in the wrong bed??  
**[10.33]** OR THE WRONG COUNTRY???

 **[10.33]** WORSE  
**[10.33]** he sent me a video

 **[10.33]** he did??  
**[10.33]** waif  
**[10.33]** wait*  
**[10.34]** who did

 **[10.35]** tsukki  
**[10.35]** I dont know what it is I didn't open the chat yet  
**[10.35]** HOLY shit help

 **[10.36]** DUDE U HAVE SUCH A CRUSH ON THAT GUY IT ISN'T EVE N FJNNY  
**[10.36]** watch it obviously!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 **[10.36]** fuck fuck fuck  
**[10.36]** what if it's something terrible  
**[10.36]** or he sent it to the wrong person

**[10.37]** well that wouldn't be the first time LOL

**[10.38]** dick  
**[10.38]** not funny

 **[10.38]** kinda funny  
**[10.38]** dude only way to find out is to WATCH it

 **[10.39]** im about to  
**[10.39]** fuck fuck fuck im so nervous  
**[10.39]** and I DON'T have a crush on him stuf  
**[10.40]** stfu*

 **[10.41]** sure you dont  
**[10.41]** keep me updated!

 

-

 

Tetsurou is sitting on his bed with his phone in his hands and eyes wide, mind already having played through a hundred scenarios of what the video sent to him could possibly contain.

(With the help of Koutarou, although his best friend's ideas aren't exactly helpful. Tetsurou doubts that Kei had sent him the entire bee movie.)

(Although that would be pretty funny.)

He had woken up to it, still feeling distantly nauseous from the night before - he hadn't gotten excessively drunk, just enough to make his head feel unpleasantly heavy - but upon seeing the notification, all of that was forgotten.

He is wide awake now, fingers almost shaking as he opens the messaging app.

There it is. No caption, no explanation, just a video file.

Tetsurou swallows hard. What it could possibly contain, he doesn't have the slightest idea.

  
"Okay. Fuck. Here we go."

 

-

 

He has blonde hair. It's messy, in a way that suggests he has just gotten out of bed, or maybe he just runs his hands through it a lot.

And he's sitting right there, right in front of the camera at what looks like a desk - Tetsurou can't tell for sure, because the room is rather dark, and he's too busy staring at the person in front of it.

And oh, boy.

Tetsurou can feel his heart beat tripping over itself, uncertainty and anticipation making for a bubbling mix. There is something captivating about the person on his phone screen; maybe the simple fact that Tetsurou has not the slightest idea what to expect from him.

Kei hadn't given a caption along with the video file, no comment, nothing. Now, here it is, and as Tetsurou takes in the face that seems to be looking right at him through the camera, he can't shake the feeling that this isn't just some random video from the internet, or a wrong number mishap, not just the face of some random stranger.

An inkling sneaks up to him on tip-toes, and Tetsurou leans forward to stare intently at his phone screen. Could this be Kei himself?

Possibly-Kei, although sitting down, is visibly tall and lean. He's wearing glasses; long, thin fingers fidgeting with the side pieces as he pushes them up on a pointy nose, and a black t-shirt to contrast his pale skin.

Despite the apparent nervousness in the fiddling, Possibly-Kei looks completely calm. He's looking at the camera with a blank expression; tired, even, dark circles embracing almond eyes.

"Uh... hello, there."

There is something about his voice that makes Tetsurou's skin tingle.

It's soft, somewhat hoarse in the way one would sound in the morning, or after not having spoken in quite a while.

"I know it's my turn sending a song. I'm sorry I'm late."

A song. His turn. It _is_ Kei.

Definitely-Kei.

The certainty, although vaguely expected, hits with a weight, and almost knocks Tetsurou over.

The person he has been texting for weeks now. The person he has been watching movies with, exchanging songs and jokes and fears. The person he has been missing so bad.  
The person he is looking at, right in this very moment.

  
He is gorgeous.

It's Tetsurou's first thought, involuntarily so, and it makes his entire face light up like a traffic signal.

There's no denying it, though. Even his hands are attractive, folded under his chin as a headrest now, right wrist and thumb bandaged neatly.

Tetsurou tries to will his blush away, ignoring Koutarou's voice in his head that 'dude, you so have a crush on him.'

  
"There are a lot of things I want to tell you. I don't know where to start. I'm not good at this."

Kei clears his throat, looking down at the desk in front of him.

"I tried coming up with a text. Nothing sounds right. But - this song does, in a way."

He picks up his phone, typing quickly before looking back up, holding up the screen towards the camera for Tetsurou to read.

"This is the title. If you can, please listen to it. Uh, properly. With headphones. Take your time to really hear it, and understand what it wants to tell you in my place."

Something akin to a blush appears on the blonde's face at that, or maybe it's just the poor lighting of the recording.

Either way, he seems flustered, hands coming up to rub at his cheeks. The hint of a grin hushes across his lips, then, and he looks at the camera with a challenging glint in his eyes.

When Kei speaks up again, his voice is even quieter, and Tetsurou doesn't notice himself holding his breath to hear him clearly.

"This song kept coming on in shuffle play. It kept reminding me of you. It was fucking annoying. You just wouldn't leave me be."

He pauses.

  
"I know I'm shit at expressing it, but what I'm trying to say is... I really appreciate - this. You. Talking to you, and hearing from you. Being your friend. But I didn't act like one, and I didn't treat you like one. I'm sorry."

  
Tetsurou wonders if it is healthy to have his heart beating so fast, clutching the phone in his hands as he tries to process the words.

There is a cut in the video.

  
Kei appears again, same room, same position. The only apparent change is the lighting in the background – it seems to be a little bit brighter (Although maybe, Tetsurou is just imagining it. It's hard to tell – the background of the video hadn't been the focus of his attention, after all).

The blonde is fidgeting again, his fingers fold and unfold, picking up his phone and putting it down again.

"There's something I need you to know,” he says, not addressing the cut, simply picking up again.

He swallows. Fingers folding. Fingers unfolding.

As the pause stretches, Tetsurou feels something in his stomach grow heavier. He can sense the build-up, the other's nervousness at whatever he is trying and failing to say.

Finally, determination finds Kei's expression. (Although it takes a second for it to reach his eyes, a second in which Tetsurou sees a flash of uncertainty. Vulnerability. Something that stings in his chest.)

  
Kei's hands start moving then, but he's silent, shaping gestures in a way Tetsurou recognizes, but distantly and without understanding, until -

At the bottom of the video, a sentence appears. Short and simple, the subtitle makes Tetsurou's throat go dry.

  
\- Usually, I speak like this. -

 

  
There is a cut in the video.

 

 

 

 

 

He has a form of selective mutism.

With the lighting in the background yet a little brighter, Kei explains that this means he is physically capable of speaking; that the disability is a mental one.

It wasn't diagnosed until he first started kindergarten. As with most children suffering from it, Kei never had any problems talking to his direct family.  
But what was, at first, put aside as him just being incredibly shy around strangers, soon turned into worry when Kei just never warmed up.

Gentle encouragement, firm demands, yelling and coaxing and bribing with his favorite candy didn't work.

He wouldn't speak. He wasn't an uncooperative child, not stubborn or stupid or trying to stick out. He just wouldn't speak.

"They thought I was faking it," he says, slowly, after another cut. I couldn't explain it to them."

The blonde wrinkles his nose, shakes his head with a confused expression before mumbling out loud, "I can't explain it to you. It's not a choice. No one seems to realize that.

'It's all in your head', people say, as if that was going to make me realize - as if I hadn't considered the fact that maybe, not being mute would be pretty neat."

Kei snorts, and he seems genuinely amused. "Like, damn. Didn't know you're Dr. Dr. Genius, here. Please share more of your wisdom with me, and soon I'll be able to use my beautiful voice as I walk around spitting my unwanted opinion at people, like you do."

Tetsurou can feel the corners of his mouth tugging upwards into a grin despite everything; despite the ache he's feeling in his heart thinking about a five year-old Kei, trying to understand why he is so different from everyone else.

The sarcasm in that voice is so familiar from their countless texts, and for a moment, Tetsurou wonders if this is really his first time hearing it out loud.

  
He had missed it.

  
After the next cut, when early hints of sunlight start to show behind a window in the back, Kei runs his good hand through his hair with a sheepish expression.

“By the way, uh, all these cuts in the video. Before you think I'm trying to pull some professional youtuber thing with special effects–“ On cue, a sparkly powerpoint effect and airhorns come in, comically contrasting the seriousness of the topic and making Tetsurou break out in laughter.  
Kei grins before carrying on. “The truth is, recording this isn't easy. I might seem really chill talking out loud, for someone who is supposed to be mute. Uh.“ He shakes his head, snorts, and –

Another cut.

“Yeah,“ he says when he appears again, and this time he looks genuinely somewhat unsure, and it makes Tetsurou's heart ache even more. “Even though I'm not actually talking to you face to face – which, uh. I won't be able to. If we ever.“ He clears his throat, shaking his head before looking up at the camera and straight into Tetsurou's eyes.

„These, what, two minutes of video material have taken me around three hours so far. Knowing that you are going to hear the things I say once I send this video make it hard to think.“

  
_If we ever._

It clings onto the insides of Tetsurou's ears, echoing over and over again, pushing aside the heaviness of his heart for a moment, everything else the other had said.

 _If we ever_. Like they are going to. Like Kei _wants_ them to.

 

"That's part of why I learned sign language."

Kei seems to light up at the mention, amazement pushing against the cover of indifference in his expression and the tone of his voice, "god, what a gift to the fucking world."

"Of course, it's not the answer to everything," Kei adds, slowly. "Like speaking, it requires me to draw attention to myself and my thoughts. Plus, how many people understand sign language? But it takes the focus off my voice, gives me time to think about my hands and where I'm placing them instead. It helps."

His voice is calm and collected, devoid of grudge or bitterness or any other hint of emotion; but there is something else, something Tetsurou can't quite put a finger on.

When Kei looks back up, he looks a little lost; like having talked so much, or in such vulnerable honesty, is a hard task. Tetsurou imagines it must be.

"The reason I'm telling you this isn't to make you pity me. Fuck, anything but that. And it isn't to excuse my shitty behavior."

Kei shakes his head, fidgeting with the cable of the headset he's wearing. Cuts off once again.

  
When he speaks again, his voice is serious. "I was being an asshole to you. I was only thinking of myself, my fears, my troubles; but I never considered yours. That I was hurting you in the process, and that I was driving you away. There is no excuse.

But I hope you will forgive me. There's nothing else I can do."

He takes a deep breath.

"I'm telling you because I realize that- uh, you should know -" the blonde's voice trails off. He's blinking, obviously struggling to find the right words, and Tetsurou can feel his own heart clench.  
How hard this must be. How vehemently Kei is pushing himself, refusing to stop before saying everything he deems important, for him. For Tetsurou.

  
When he picks up again, his voice sounds different. Hopeful.

  
"I just think you should know who I am. If you can forgive me. If you still want to be my friend."

 

Tetsurou is typing as soon as the recording goes black. He doesn't need to even think twice.

 

-

 

 **[10.22]** How do you say 'of fucking course I still want to be your friend, did you really think you were ever getting rid of me' in sign language?  
**[10.22]** my first idea was to send you a video back and make it all dramatic and sentimental  
**[10.23]** sadly my sign language knowledge isn't quite there (yet).  
**[10.24]** can you teach me?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The website for the Library of Babel Kei mentions in the story actually exists! It's pretty cool, so I recommend checking it out.  
> -> libraryofbabel.info
> 
>  
> 
> Read up on selective mutism under -> selectivemutismcenter.org


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey ho here we go
> 
> the chapter we've all been waiting for.
> 
> i wrote this at 3 am instead of being a functional human being

 

_Until one day i had enough_  
_Of this exercise of trust_  
 _I leaned in and let it hurt_  
 _And let my body feel the dirt_  
 _When i break pattern, i break ground_  
 _I rebuild when i break down_  
 _I wake up more awake than i’ve ever been before_

_\- Sleeping at Last, "Pluto"_

 

 

 

Saturday had come with thunder roaring far in the distance, far enough to become not much more than a calming purr, cozily wrapping around the safety of Kei's small apartment as raindrops knocked politely at the window panes.

 

It had come with the perfect weather to spend the entire day wrapped up in bed with hot chocolate and Netflix for company, getting up for nothing except the occasional snack or toilet break.

 

Kei has different plans.

He watches as the raindrop he was rooting for takes an erratic turn in its route, allowing its opponent an easy win of their bus window race. 

 

Disappointed, he scans for a new contestant as the bus drives by a huge advertising panel, painting its windows and inside in a dull, strawberry ice cream-pink. As if on command, he can feel his stomach rumbling in excitement, ignoring the lump that has been forming and growing in his throat all day now. 

 

He hadn't been able to eat breakfast this morning. Too nervous. Too excited. Too terrified.

 

The past week had been a haze. Between assignments, helping out in Akiteru's garden and studying for the upcoming finals, there hadn't been much time for pointless sulking.

 

At least in theory.

 

Reality had looked a little different, Kei zoning out to stare at his phone, waiting for messages which he knew wouldn't come. Seeing an interesting video online, listening to an awesome song, thinking of something funny, and his first impulse being to tell Tetsurou about it – only to realize that, oh, right. About that.

 

And then _Tetsurou_ had texted _him_.

 

Kei's head still feels oddly light thinking back to the events of the last night, how his entire body had felt hot and cold at the same time, reading the string of drunk texts over and over again.

 

_I miss you._

 

It had felt to Kei as if he was drunk, too, as if Tetsurou's messages somehow transmitted his intoxication, _could this be real? Am I imagining things?_

 

And then the video. He can still feel the burning of his cheeks, the tingling in his fingertips, sitting at his desk trying desperately to come up with all the right things to say.

It had been scary. It had been overwhelming.

 

It had been amazing.

 

Kei can't remember the last time he had felt so motivated, so elevated, so eager to share his thoughts and feelings with another person. Finding a way to do so – one that worked – up all night, talking and failing and trying again, and putting it all together, sending it off, knowing that Tetsurou would listen, and that maybe he would understand.

 

He had feared – expected, even – to wake up on Saturday morning with a buzzing headache and regrets.

 

Instead, Kei had woken up to another string of texts.

 

_How corny,_ Kei thinks as he looks down at the phone in his hands again, reading Tetsurou's name, his eager reply, _of fucking course I still want to be your friend._

 

But there is a smile on his face, and he doesn't remember when and how it got there.

 

 

Kei chews down on the insides of his cheeks as his eyes find the perfect contestant for the next race, already ahead of its opponent, which seems to be stuck against another raindrop.

 

He wonders whether Tetsurou's week had been just like his. Staring at his phone, thinking about the weird stranger he'd come to call his friend.

 

He wonders what his face looks like. He wonders how tall he is, what he's doing right now, has volleyball practice started already? Kei checks the time; no, not yet.

 

He can't help the lump in his throat making itself known with vehemence as he pockets his phone, looking outside the window again and watching familiar scenery pass by. He can't help the strange tingling in his stomach, either. _Tetsurou is going to get his reply. Just not the way he's probably thinking._

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Kei is fucked.

 

Everything had started going downhill when the busdriver pulled the brakes all of a sudden, roughly enough to make two girls standing by the doors topple over each other, and declared after a heavy pause: _We can not continue on this route._

 

A tree had fallen over in the storm, blocking big parts of the street and making a passing for the hardly maneuverable bus impossible. _The fire and rescue department are on their way, continuation of the line will be as soon as possible, there is a tram stop nearby for those who need to get to the main station._

 

So. Kei gets out of the bus, and he starts walking, and he doesn't need to get to the main station and a tram won't help him any further, and he is fucked. Out of all days for something like this to happen, of course, it has to be the day he actually needs to be somewhere on time.

 

But he's doing this. There is no backing out now.

 

Late October brings early sunsets, and the darkening sky brings worry, but Kei pulls the hood of his jacket deeper over his face and picks up pace.

 

It's still raining, even heavier now, and the wind is pulling and pushing and biting at every spot of exposed skin. He isn't wearing the right shoes to be wading through puddles as deep as his kitchen sink, but wet socks are the last thing on Kei's mind as he makes his way.

 

The plan had been simple; meet Yaku in front of the gym towards the end of their college team's volleyball practice, sit with him in the audience stands appreciating the lack of out-loud conversation as his deaf classmate waits for his boyfriend, have him conveniently point out the names of the players and casually hand the note to Tetsurou as practice wraps up.

 

So simple. So perfect.

 

Too perfect for Kei's luck, he thinks glumly as lightning flashes sudden and bright enough to make the blonde jump. He can't even listen to music with his hood up if he wants to keep his head dry.

 

He doesn't want to think about not making it in time, arriving at the gym only to find that everyone has already left and he can walk the entire way back through this weather. Distressed, Kei falls into a jog, cursing under his breath as the water from the puddles splashes up to soak his already wet ankles.

He's going to make a very charming first impression on Tetsurou when he gets there.

 

 

Kei doesn't see the slope before it's too late, too focused on the outlines of the gym building finally becoming visible at the end of the half-drowned dirt track, _almost there! He made it!_

 

He doesn't believe in fate, or karma, or anything of the like. There is no scientific evidence, no math, no logic to back up their existence; no reason an endless and uncaring universe would be out to get him.

 

Coughing out what feels like a gallon of puddle water, frantically trying and failing to wipe his face of dirt and wetness, he suddenly finds it hard to remember that.

 

“Fucking– ouch!” He curses, interrupted by another fit of coughs escaping his lungs with a painful sting. Kei blinks as he tries to orient himself, painfully rubbing his nose that, in addition to feeling numb from the cold, is wet and most probably bloody now. He had managed to land right on his fucking face.

 

He feels like kicking the uncaring universe in the nose. _This is what you get for being a selfish asshole,_ it's probably laughing at him, _let's see you finally building a meaningful relationship with another person when you can't even walk right without falling over and breaking every bone in your body!_

 

_Bones,_ he realizes shaking those thoughts _(and I am perfectly capable of walking on functional fucking streets, and those two things aren't even related in any way_!), there's pain so sharp coming from somewhere in his body that his head feels like cotton, struggling to point out what exactly is hurting and what is just cold, wet, and miserable.

 

That fall hurt.

 

He had somehow managed to land down the ditch, Kei realizes looking up towards the pathway, his back resting against the brittle stump of a tree.

 

He groans as he pushes himself up into a sitting position, anger and frustration welling up as he stares at the palms of his hands. They're scraped and bleeding, and they hurt, but what's worse is that his right thumb is downright pounding. It won't listen to his commands to move, bend, anything.

 

He coughs again, pulling up his knees for inspection – they're bleeding, but move just fine, and Kei lets his head fall back to stare into the dark of the sky. It is almost completely black now except for the occasional flash, and Kei wonders what time it is. He doesn't want to take out his phone, not in this rain and not with his bleeding hands, he doesn't even really want to know what time it is. He knows he doesn't have much of it, if at all.

 

And here he is, sitting in a puddle of a dirtway slope. Not even five minutes away from his destination.

 

He is so close. He can't give up now. He feels so determined. Kei can't remember the last time he had felt that way. It's strange, and unfamiliar, and incredible.

 

Kei's legs feel like pudding as he pulls himself up with the help of a low-hanging branch, cradling his right hand against his chest to protect the bad thumb. The same thumb he had managed to accidentally cut on a hedge trimmer just the other day.

 

“I'm sorry, little buddy,” Kei mumbles to the pathetic finger as he climbs the slope, ignoring the soreness of his body and fixing his gaze on the building of destination. The dirt track isn't illuminated by street lights, but there is a warm glow coming from the lanterns around the gym, filling Kei with hope. Maybe he isn't too late after all. Maybe he is going to make it.

 

 

 

The doors are locked.

 

Kei sprints the last bit despite his knees threatening to give in, pulling down the handle without second thought, just eagerness, determination – and it's locked.

 

He tries pushing. He tries pulling again. Then, he tries pushing harder.

 

He tries kicking against the door in frustration despite the soreness of his legs, and he can distantly feel the heat welling up in his eyes uninvited and unannounced, and Kei isn't a cryer, he doesn't ever cry, he's just going to scoff and turn around and go home because that's what he _does,_ not stupidly running through storm trying to meet this person he has never seen before and he isn't going to cry –

 

“Uh... hi there?”

 

Kei _jolts,_ jumping away from the door as his eyes find the source of the voice full of concern and curiosity, almost stumbling over a branch that he assumes had been violently ripped and carried over in the storm from one of the looming fir trees surrounding the gym.

There's a guy standing in the rain a few steps away from him. Tall, but not quite as tall as Kei, with broader shoulders and muscular arms – he's wearing a sleeveless shirt in this damn weather – his eyes widen as he takes in the state of the blonde.

 

_Leave me alone._

 

Kei wants to disappear. He isn't in the mood to face another person, not now out of all times, not with his entire body feeling like a spent punchbag, not with his eyes red-rimmed and burning.

He wants to be alone, he wants to go home, wants to bury his head in a pillow and come to his senses, _how was I stupid enough to come here, through a raging storm, freezing and bleeding, just for some guy? And why do I feel like I would do it all over again if it'd mean I could actually catch him?_

 

“Dude!,” the guy says – shouts – to be heard over the deafening drum of the rain. Kei says nothing, uselessly wiping the sleeve of his jacket over his face in an attempt to remove dirt, puddle water, probably just smearing the nosebleed across his cheeks in the process. He wants the wind to swoop him away like the branch at his feet, far away, alone.

  
He is too late. He didn't make it.

 

“Dude,” the stranger repeats, coming up to Kei slowly, wide-eyed, taking in the image of his soaking wet shape, the scrapes on the blonde's hands and knees, and concern is written clearly all over his face, “what happened to you?”

 

Kei pulls back as the stranger tries to take hold of his right wrist, aiming for rough and defensive but hitting vulnerable; unable to stop the soft, pained hiss escaping his lips as Kei's thumb brushes roughly against the other's half-formed grip.

 

“I'm sorry!“ The stranger's eyes widen impossibly as he takes a step back from Kei, instead starting to rummage through the sports bag he's wearing to pull out a packet of tissues. “I'm Koutarou,” he tells Kei with an apologetic smile, apparently deciding that he doesn't need Kei to respond to his questions, “here, for your nose.”

 

For a moment, Kei just stares at him, half a mind to fiddle for his phone in the pocket of his jacket to tell that guy what is going on, what he came here for, _maybe practice is still on and there's another entrance and I just don't know where to find it?_

 

The rain is prattling down on them unforgivingly, but the stranger – Koutarou – doesn't seem to mind much.

“We gotta get you out of this rain, somewhere warm and inside. The gym is closed for the night and I don't have any keys on me – last practice for the day just ended,” he adds regretfully. “Do you live close–“

 

The end of his sentence is interrupted by roaring thunder, swallowing all sound and making them both jump in surprise. That was much louder than the ones before, and Kei finds his alarm reflected on the frown Koutarou sends up at the nightsky, shaking his head before looking back at the blonde. “Holy shit.”

 

Kei takes the tissue with a shake of his head, wiping his nose and finding his assumption of nosebleed confirmed as it gets soaked in red. So he really _is_ too late. He missed last practice for the day.

He missed Tetsurou. All this mess; for nothing.

 

 

“I do,” Koutarou states, simply. “The campus dormitories are just down this street. Why don't you come with me?”

 

For a second, Kei is stunned out of his misery. He just stares at the guy in disbelief, _did he hear that right?_

 

“Dude, really, it's fine,” Koutarou repeats lightly when Kei just stares at him, pointing at the scrapes on Kei's knees that are starting to look quite nasty now, blood running down his shins. “Look at that!”

 

Kei looks, dumbfounded. He does take out his phone then, because he feels a wave of confusion washing away some of the frustration, something that feels dangerously close to relief, gratefulness,  _but he doesn't even know that guy, he can't just go home with him!  
_

He frowns, shielding the screen with one hand while using the other to type:

 

_Looks like shit._

 

Koutarou's expression lights up in understanding of Kei's way of communicating, before reading his message and bursting out in a loud laugh.

 

“You can walk a little more, right?,” he then asks, simply, and something inside Kei breaks down despite everything, allowing relief to flood out the terror of the moment, if only for long enough for him to decide that, yes. He can walk a little more.  While he's already at it today – doing crazy things he would never usually dream of ever doing – why choose standing alone and helpless in a raging storm over the opportunity to get warm, dry, and away from this weather?

 

 

_Yes._

_Thank you._

 

“Oh!,” Koutarou beams. “It's fine. It's nothing. If not, I can carry you!” He laughs at that, and starts leading the way.

 

_Maybe this is fate_ , Kei muses, sarcastically. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

“There's towels in the dryer, just take out what you need. I'll find you some clothes in the meantime.” With that and a beaming smile, Koutarou is out of the bathroom, closing the door to leave Kei to a warm, long shower.

 

( _I'll hurry_ , Kei had typed, and the look on the other's face had actually been horrified, "hell no you won't! Our water bill has a blanket price. Short showers would be a gift to the landlord!")

 

_And the environment,_ Kei thinks, though he doesn't tell Koutarou that. Truth be told, he feels like he could spend eternity in a warm shower right now. Wriggling out of his wet clothes as soon as he's alone in the room, he winces as his thumb as much as brushes against the sleeves of his shirts as he pulls it off. He is going to have that get checked out, Kei thinks with a frown, stepping into the small bathtub and pulling the tacky, mustard-yellow shower curtain in place.

 

There's something about hot water, washing off dirt and blood and the goosebumps on Kei's freezing skin; making way for the wave of exhaustion as it finally hits, and Kei closes his eyes as he lets himself sink into a crouch, adrenaline finally loosening its grip on his prickling body.

 

He thinks of the crinkled piece of paper in the pocket of the jeans he left in a messy pile next to the bathtub along with the rest of his clothes, thinks of the lines scribbled down in messy handwriting, and he can recite every single one in his head.

He had spent a lot of time shaping them perfectly.

 

He feels better when he emerges, still sore, still disappointed his plan didn't work out and he didn't get to see Tetsurou, didn't get to show him the words so present in his mind, but better, not freezing, not on the verge of tears.

The thought pinches him uncomfortably, he almost cried in front of Koutarou out there. He almost cried. Over a guy, simply put, and Kei doesn't like to think too hardly about what that might say about him, about his feelings towards Tetsurou, this person who had come into his life and mixed up everything Kei thought he knew about himself.

 

He is too tired to think this over, almost too tired to be embarrassed by the sappy thought. He takes a towel out of the dryer and wraps himself up, infinitely glad he had happend to run into Koutarou. Without the other's selfless help, Kei would still be out there, probably limping back through the storm now towards where he had left the bus earlier that evening, hoping to find a connection home. 

 

The thought alone makes him shudder.

 

Kei is glad to be dry and safe under a roof, and he can still hear the storm raging when he fiddles for his glasses and opens the bathroom door, but from outside the windows, where it can't do him any harm.

 

Stepping slowly into what seems to be the bed- and living room of the small dormitory apartment, he just now notices that there isn't only one, but two beds standing by its respective sides. _A roommate,_ Kei thinks, remembering the second toothbrush on the sink counter and abundance of hair product in the shower rack.

 

He can't see Koutarou, though. Kei considers for a second. The apartment isn't big, but it is somewhat angular – he can't see the kitchen from where he is currently standing, so that must be where his host is.

And, indeed, there's music playing softly from the other end of the room, a distinct smell of cider and pumpkin soup tickling Kei's nose and making his stomach rumble audibly. Just now he is realizing how hungry he still is, had he even eaten anything at all that day? Kei can't recall, and now that adrenaline and nerves are gone, he can feel the weak- and tiredness of the day in every cell of his body.

 

Kei shudders, relieved when his gaze falls on the pile of clothes sitting more-or-less neatly on one of the beds. Koutarou must have laid them out for him, as announced before he'd left Kei to his shower, and the blonde can't wait to relish in the sensation of dry clothes on his skin again after a day of cold, wet fabric clinging onto it.

 

He quickly pulls on the pair of plain black boxers sitting on top of the pile, hanging his towel over the backrest of a chair for now, so he can get dressed and ask Koutarou where to put it, along with his own wet clothes. A pair of soft, blue flannel pajama pants is next, and Kei is surprised to find that they almost fit. They're a tiny bit too short, coming up just over his ankles, and he has to tighten the ribbon around the waistband just so, but they fit.

 

Koutarou had looked a little shorter and a good bit buffer than Kei, who not seldom ran into trouble finding pants that'd fit his long, skinny legs. Huh. Kei discards that thought, sitting down on the edge of the bed to roll up the legs of the pants, wanting to make sure no blood from the scrapes on his knees gets on the fabric. He needs to ask Koutarou for some bandaids.

 

Oh, how heavenly it feels; just sitting, his legs stretched and prickling from exhaustion, wrapped in the soft and warming fabric of the pants. Kei can't help the long yawn inviting itself onto his face as his eyes flutter closed, he is so tired, and the bed is so soft, and it smells good, of coffee and almonds and shaving cream. _I'll get dressed and go find Koutarou in a second,_ Kei thinks, and his eyes stay closed, just for a moment.

And just in a moment, sleep comes up to enwrap him gently, pushing his body to fall soft into welcoming sheets.

 

 

* * *

 

 

He wakes to dim lights and a weight on his side, shifting with every deep breath, snuggling up against the crook of his stomach as Kei blinks dazedly into reality.

 

He is disoriented for a second, right hand coming up to rub away the sleep in his eyes, and the cat meows unhappily at the sudden movement. Wait. _Cat?_

 

Kei looks down at the black ball of fur, settled decisively on top of the thick, woolen blanket wrapping up his body, giving him a look full of offense upon having its rest disturbed. He frowns, returning it with a stare of confusion. When did he fall asleep?

 

Propping himself up on his elbows just enough to fumble around for his glasses, Kei remembers drying off after the shower, not seeing Koutarou anywhere in the room, looking for some dry clothes to wear and finding them on one of the beds – he halts, the blush shooting brightly up onto his cheeks. He had actually fallen asleep in someone else's bed. Shirtless. Kei buries his face in his hands, falling back into the pillows. And god knows how long he had been sleeping for.

 

He finds his glasses sitting on the bedside table next to the bed. Kei frowns. He doesn't remember taking them off and placing them there, he hadn't exactly been planning on falling asleep here, after all. And, coming to think of it, he doesn't remember getting that blanket, either, just sitting down for a second, closing his eyes, taken by exhaustion.

 

He does sit up, then, eyes searching the room, and halts as they land on the bedside table again. Beside the alarm clock and some gum wraps, he finds his phone, sitting next to a glass full of water. _For you,_ a small note simply reads, written in hasty scribble. There's a little doodle of a cat next to the two words, sticking out its tongue with a grin. Kei finds a smile tugging on the corners of his lips, looking back down at the animal now dozing comfortably between his legs.

 

So, either Koutarou or his roommate must have found him asleep in their bed, and instead of waking him up they had gotten him a blanket, some water, and turned off the lights to let him sleep. The only source of light is coming from the kitchen, painting the room in a warm, dusky light, and Kei is once again baffled at how _nice_ those people are, how screwed he would be had he not run into Koutarou in the raging storm.

 

He really is thirsty, he realizes, taking a long sip from the glass, listening to the voices coming softly from the kitchen's direction, low conversation he can't quite make out with the rain still bickering outside the windows. But it is calmer, now, and without thunder rolling along.

 

“– didn't reply to my messages at all today,” he catches, in an unfamiliar voice. The roommate, Kei guesses. “And, like, I want to give him the space and time he needs, you know? I can wait. He's worth waiting for.”

 

The sound of a microwave interrupts, drowning out a reply and suddenly reminding Kei's stomach to rummage loudly, twisting uncomfortably with the sensation of hunger and emptiness. The smell of pumpkin spice still lingers in the air, and though the blush on his cheeks still refuses to give up on its display, he muses that after taking a shower and a nap at these guys' place, asking for a little something to eat isn't going to make any difference.

 

Kei grabs his phone after wriggling carefully out from under the blanket so as not to disturb the kitten, glad to find the t-shirt from the pile still lying on the mattress where he had fallen asleep on top of it earlier.

 

It's plain white, with sleeves long enough to reach his elbows, fitting loosely on his slim body and contrasting the firm warmth of the woolen blanket. The hairs on Kei's arms stand up in the hint of a shiver as he pads towards the kitchen, already typing away at a short note to show to his hosts.

 

“Of course I'm wearing the cat ears tomorrow. What do you think I am, a _quitter_?”

 

The first thing that catches his eye is the hair. It's a mess of black, ruffled and pointy and somehow reminding Kei of the black kitten still rolled up in bed, especially with how the guy is sitting on the kitchen counter, legs crossed, a spot that quite obviously isn't meant to be sat on. He is tall, though, lean, and alone in the kitchen, phone tucked between his ear and left shoulder while he uses his hands to browse through a thick textbook in his lap.

 

“I'm not a quitter. I'm going to wear a maid outfit or something to go with it,” Koutarou's roommate says with a grin, and Kei raises his eyebrows in amusement as he enters the kitchen, _what kind of conversation are they having?_

 

The roommate looks up with a start, just now noticing the newcomer. “Oh,” he says, whispers, and as Kei's eyes come up curiously to meet his dark, amber ones, he can see a range of emotions flickering from surprised to concerned to _soft,_ just soft, and completely unreadable.

 

It makes him feel suddenly exposed, the way that guy is staring at him, as if he was seeing a ghost, and Kei knows he's pale but he's not _that_ pale!

 

“I'll call you back,” the other says, flatly, taking the phone in his hands to end the call without waiting for a response before he picks up the book and pushes himself off the kitchen counter to land on his feet, perfectly in sync with the microwave finishing on a loud _ding._

 

“Did you know there's a specialized surgery that uses microvascular surgery techniques to transfer your big toe to your hand in case you lose a thumb?”

 

The roommate grins, giving the microwave an imaginary high five before turning to look at Kei, that strange look almost gone from his face, replaced by a more collected smirk.

 

“Give me your hands,” he adds, expectant as he places his book on the shelf – something about chemistry, Kei only catches a glimpse of it – and holds out his own. Kei raises an eyebrow as his gaze lands on pointy fingertips. There's a Hello Kitty bandaid wrapped around the tip of his left middle finger, with bruises of varying shades of red and blue trailing down from it to frame his knuckles.

 

Kei hesitates, strangely caught up in the view of the stranger's hands holding out for his, before remembering the phone in his hands. He unlocks it quickly, deleting his pre-written message in favor of a nice and simple _what the fuck?_

 

The roommate grins, seemingly unsurprised by the written message, a flicker of amusement and something else in his eyes, something like awe, fascination. Kei finds it difficult to read his face as the man watches him attentively.

 

“Koutarou forgot his phone at practice,” he explains to the blonde. “The guys picked it up for him, so he had to run downstairs. He'll be back, if he hasn't gotten stuck talking to his _boyfriend”_ he smirks, seeming rather pleased at that thought. “I'm his roommate, and it's your lucky day, because I'm a hell of a lot better at taking care of injuries.”

 

He doesn't ask, not what happened to him, not why Kei is typing to communicate, not even his name. Koutarou must have briefed him, Kei muses.

 

_I can see that._ He nods towards the guy's middle finger, taking in his expression of feigned offense with amusement.

 

“Oh, you mean this? This finger right here?” the other asks, holding up his middle finger at Kei with a sweet smile.

 

Kei can't help the chuckle escaping his lips, hands coming up to cover his mouth as he wills his facial muscles into an expression of exasparation,

 

_I bled all over Koutarou's bed._

 

“My bed,” the other corrects. He gestures towards the kitchen counter, the spot he himself had just gotten up from, and chuckles when Kei sends him a disbelieving glance. “The lighting is good here.”

 

_Sorry 'bout that._

 

“It's okay, dude. I can wash the sheets. Up with you.”

 

Kei obliges, pushing himself up to sit on the counter and wincing at the pressure on the palms of his hands. Though the bleeding of his wounds has stopped over his unplanned nap, they're still open, sensitive to touch.

 

He watches curiously as the other full on _jumps_ on the kitchen counter next to him, standing up to grab a small box from out of the top shelf. It's kind of impressive, really, how swiftly he moves, as if climbing on furniture isn't an unusal thing for him to do – _Cat,_ Kei thinks with an amused glint in his eyes. He is wearing a black sweater and shorts, displaying muscular, wiry legs with the occasional bruise here and there, and Kei wills his eyes to focus anywhere else as he finds the other's butt right on his eye level.

 

He wants to ask this guy for his name, apologize for falling asleep in his bed and getting smudges of blood all over the sheets, wants to thank him for the glass of water, the clothes, the adorable little doodle.

 

He is suddenly on the floor again, standing at the kitchen counter in front of where Kei is sitting, tilting his head to look up at the blonde.

 

“Can I touch you?,” he asks, simply, and there's something in his voice that sends a single shiver down Kei's spine, that _softness_ he had seen when they had first locked eyes, as if Kei wasn't just some pitiful stranger that had somehow ended up in their kitchen by a series of unfortunate events.

He doesn't know how to categorize it.

 

He nods, awkwardly, and watches as the stranger makes quick work of cleaning his wounds, knees first, carefully dabbing at the scrapes with a wet washcloth. “For you,” he says with a shit-eating grin as he fumbles through the box and brings out a big roll of _Frozen_ themed bandaids. Kei watches, helplessly (and trying hard to fight his smile) as Koutarou's roommate sticks a happy Olaf onto his breached kneecap.

 

Moving on from Kei's knees, he takes careful hold of both his hands, turning them palms up to compare. The other's hands are careful yet decisive, warm to the touch, and Kei isn't exactly the physical proximity type – more like, the stay-away-from-me-at-least-a-hundred-feet-type – but it actually is... not terrible?

 

“Your right thumb doesn't look good.” It's true, and Kei frowns as he picks up his phone from where it is lying on the counter next to him with his left hand, typing quickly:

 

_It doesn't feel good. Can't move it._

 

“That doesn't sound good.”

 

_Doesn't taste good._

 

“Uh. What?”

 

_Dunno, just wanted to close the circle._

 

The roommate laughs, a warm and raucous sound, before looking up from the phone screen to meet Kei's eyes. “No,” he says, serious again, “it could be broken. We should go see a doctor about that.”

 

_We?_ Kei thinks, but he doesn't type it down, his baffled expression enough to transmit his thoughts to the other because his eyes widen, hands coming up to run through his mess of hair, “I'm not gonna let you leave my apartment at midnight in this weather to take a bus to the next hospital.”

 

There's the hint of a blush on his cheeks, or maybe Kei is imagining things, it must just be how warm it suddenly is in the room, because he can feel it, too.

 

And, god, it's midnight already? Kei has lost all track of time, with so many things happening that day, and to top it all his stomach decides that now is the perfect time to growl angrily upon having its impatient demands so blatantly and continuously ignored, making both Kei and the stranger in front of him freeze as they look down at it.

 

It definitely is too hot in the room now, the other still standing right in front of Kei with the blonde's hands in his own, and, as if realizing that just now, he lets go of them so suddenly as if they were burning him. “Uh. Soup,” he says, intelligently.

 

Kei tries to will the blush away as he lets himself drop to his feet on the floor.

 

_You don't have to come with me,_  he types. _I'll be okay._

 

“I wasn't asking,” the other states, matter-of-factly, as he walks over to the microwave and turns it on again, leaving in its contents from before. “Do you like pumpkin soup? I made it earlier this evening, but you were asleep, and I didn't want to wake you up –“

 

Kei nods eagerly, mouth watering at the thought of finally, finally getting something to eat.

 

“I'll get dressed,” the roommate says with a smile as he brings out a spoon and a glass for Kei, placing it on the small table by the window-facing side of the kitchen. "Let's leave when you're done eating?”

 

* * *

 

Kei is still sitting at the table, sipping up the rests of his pumpkin soup – it's incredibly delicious, and he makes a mental note to tell Koutarou's roommate just that – when he hears the front door open on the other end of the apartment. He can hear footsteps, then, someone taking off their shoes, a cheerful “guess who's back!,” and

“holy shit, you won't believe what just happened, _Tetsurou!_ ”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please yell at me in the comments.


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